The Moth in the Meadow
by Mothstar
Summary: Mothkit is a LightningClan kit. After she becomes an apprentice she is haunted by dreams and a prophecy. Soon only she can save everyone. Will she succeed? The first fanfic I wrote, go easy on it. Rated T. COMPLETE!
1. Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

LIGHTNINGCLAN

LEADER: Lionstar—thick-furred golden tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY: Falconpelt—orange-red tom with white patches

MEDICINE CAT: Iceberry—pure white she-cat with green eyes

WARRIORS:

Willowstripe—cream, black, and tan striped she-cat

Apprentice, Acornpaw—light brown she-cat

Dawnpetal—brown she-cat with cream stripes

Apprentice, Branchpaw—brown tom with dark brown stripes

Robinheart—brown she-cat with a red belly and chest

Pinetail—brown tom with red stripes

Apprentice, Twigpaw—dark brown tom

Cloudfoot—dark gray tom with white feet

Rainclaw—dark gray tom

Applepelt—white tom with red patches

Apprentice, Ashpaw—gray-and-white she-cat

Stonewhisker—light gray tabby tom

Apprentice, Sparrowpaw—brown tom with ginger speckles

Mouseclaw—tabby tom

Apprentice, Willowpaw—light brown tabby she-cat

Pebblewhisker—gray tom

Moonfoot—black she-cat with a white paw and blue eyes

Graynose—gray tom

Flameflower—red she-cat with green eyes

Russetfang—dark ginger tom

Blueleaf—blue she-cat with green eyes

Floodfang— light brown tom

QUEENS (She-cats expecting or nursing kits):

Whitefoot—black she-cat with white speckles and white feet; mother to Cloudfoot's kits: Waterkit (light brown tabby tom with green eyes), Smokekit (gray tabby tom with green eyes), and Blizzardkit (white she-cat with blue eyes).

Lilyheart—light brown she-cat with green eyes; mother to Lionstar's kits: Emberkit (brown-and-red mottled tom with green eyes), Mosskit (light brown and white she-cat with green eyes), and Mothkit (golden she-cat with amber eyes)

Firelight—bright ginger she-cat, expecting Falconpelt's kits

Leopardpelt—leopard-spotted she-cat, expecting Pebblewhisker's kits

ELDERS (Former warriors and queens, now retired):

Whitewhisker— white tom

Willowtail—light brown she-cat

Birchfoot—brown tom with a gray foot

Eggfoot—white tom, former medicine cat

STREAMCLAN

Leader: Troutstar—longhaired brown tom with a black tail

Deputy: Freezetail—white she-cat

Medicine cat: Mousefoot—small brown tom

Apprentice, Cloudpaw—white tom

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Rosewillow—light ginger she-cat

Apprentice, Duckpaw—yellow she-cat

Stonepelt—light gray tom

Apprentice, Onepaw—brown tom with a disfigured ear

Minnowlight—silver she-cat

Snowfall—white she-cat

Stormwhisker—dark gray tom

Mistwing—light gray and white she-cat

Apprentice, Heronpaw—white she-cat

Patchfire—tortoiseshell tom with red spots

Sparrowsplash—brown tabby tom

Frogclaw—brown and black tom

Apprentice, Reedpaw—black tom

Weaselwhisker—tabby tom

Nettlewhisker—brown tom

Apprentice, Goldpaw—golden tom

Puddlepelt—black tabby tom

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits):

Fallowfur—brown she-cat, nursing Weaselwhisker's kits

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired):

Morningfur—elderly brown she-cat

Rippletooth—dark gray tom with jagged teeth

BREEZECLAN

Leader: Stormstar—dark brown and black tom

Deputy: Barkclaw—brown tom

Medicine cat: Rabbitfur—brown tom

Apprentice, Heatherpaw—tabby she-cat with blue eyes

WARRIORS:

Eagleclaw—white tom with brown stripes

Apprentice, Rowanpaw—dark ginger tom

Gorsewhisker—light brown tom

Speckleclaw—light brown tom with dark brown flecks

Apprentice, Sproutpaw—brown she-cat with green eyes

Blackbreeze—black she-cat

Sedgefoot—light brown tom

Apprentice, Harepaw—brown tom

Flamefoot—dark brown she-cat with red feet

Apprentice, Owlpaw—brown she-cat

Sandwhisker—light brown she-cat

Apprentice, Oakpaw—dark brown tom

Pricklefoot—tabby tom with spiky fur on his feet

Beetlenose—brown tom

Windwillow—pale brown she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes

QUEENS:

Squirrelfoot—ginger she-cat

Moonwillow—black and white she-cat, nursing Beetlenose's kits

Duskfall—dark brown, almost black she-cat

ELDERS:

Yellowtail—elderly yellow tom

Copperpelt—dark gold tom

DARKCLAN

Leader: Tawnystar—red she-cat

Deputy: Greenwillow—light gray tabby she-cat with bright green eyes

Medicine cat: Leafheart—light brown tabby she-cat with white patches and green eyes

WARRORS:

Burntpelt—dark ginger tom

Briarpelt—brown she-cat

Apprentice, Nutpaw—light brown tom

Crownose—black tom

Apprentice, Duskpaw—very dark brown she-cat

Ravenwing—black she-cat

Grassfoot—light brown tabby tom

Plumleaf—light brown she-cat

Apprentice, Bumblepaw—black-and-yellow striped tom

Thrushnose—brown tom

QUEENS:

Sunbird—golden she-cat, nursing Burntpelt's kits

Russetwing—red she-cat

ELDERS:

Blackeye—blind black tom

Shrewtail—light brown tom with a short tail

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

Badger—huge black-and-white tom from Twolegplace

Agony—large tabby tom from Twolegplace


	2. Prologue

PROLOUGE

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstone for a Clan meeting!"

Lionstar watched as the Clan assembled beneath the Tallstone, feeling a pang of guilt at dragging his Clan out of their warm dens to stand in the clearing, which was so covered with snow that the warriors had to use their tails to clear a spot to sit. When his clan was assembled he took a deep breath of freezing air and began to address the clan.

"Cats of LightningClan, this has been a harsh leaf-bare, as many of you know," he said, his gaze falling on a wheezing Pebblewhisker, who had dragged himself out of the medicine den to join the meeting.

"We have kits that are just waiting to be born. We have cats that have whitecough. Prey is scarce. Even our own deputy is ill."

"Redpelt's whitecough has developed into greencough," added Iceberry, keeping one eye on the medicine den. Her eyes were shaded in worry. "So has Eggfoot's."

Murmurs of unease drifted throughout the crowd of cats.

"Therefore, I am appointing a cat to stand in Redpelt's place. Falconpelt, you will act as deputy until Redpelt returns to his position." _If he does, _Lionstar added under his breath. "Also, Iceberry is perfectly capable of doing Eggfoot's duties. Even though she is an apprentice, she has learned everything he has to teach her." Iceberry looked embarrassed at his words.

An orange-red tom with white patches stepped forward.

"Falconpelt, we need hunting patrols. You should also send out cats to check the borders. "

Falconpelt gave a quick nod and started calling out names.

Lionstar leapt off the Tallstone and met up with Iceberry.

"Iceberry, do you have a moment?"

Iceberry whipped around. "Just one. What is it?"

"Have you had any messages from StarClan?"

"No, not yet. Sorry." She shook her head.

"That's all right. It's not your fault." Then, desperate to change the subject, he asked, "How is Eggfoot?"

"He is weak. When I try to give him catmint he refuses to eat it. I know why. He wants to treat the other cats. We only have a little catmint left." Iceberry gazed into Lionstar's eyes for a moment, and Lionstar detected a hint of despair in their green depths. Then she turned around and walked briskly back into the medicine den.

Lionstar stared after her, lost in thought. Where was StarClan? Didn't they care? Lionstar glanced toward the sky. Flakes had begun to fall, white specks against the night sky. The moon was just a sliver in the night.

"StarClan, where are you? My Clan is suffering. There is no prey. The queens are so weak that even if the kits were born, they might not survive…"

He paused. He should probably check on Lilyheart now. He padded toward the nursery.

"Lilyheart!" he called into the entrance of the brambles.

"Right here," a voice, heavy with sleep, replied.

"How are you?" Lionstar asked.

"I—"Lilyheart broke off into a yowl.

The yowl woke up the other queen in the nursery, Whitefoot. She had given birth to kits many times.

"The kits are coming!" Whitefoot yowled. She walked as fast as she could out of the nursery, pausing only once to look back at her sleeping kits.

Lionstar settled beside his mate, her green eyes flashing with pain.

"Oh, Lionstar," the light brown cat moaned, "I'm so scared!"

Lionstar could think of nothing to say to comfort her. He himself was terrified. He didn't want to lose his mate. Kitting in this bad leaf-bare might be the death of a queen or her kits.

"Oh, StarClan!" he whispered.


	3. Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

A small cat padded silently through a sunny field. Light shone onto her golden fur. The light felt so good on her cold nose. She crouched, then batted at a beetle in the grass. Suddenly water dripped on her head. She looked up, but no clouds were in the sky.

"The roof's leaking again!"

Mothkit opened her eyes. A light brown tabby kit was pawing at a black she-cat. The she-cat groaned, then opened her green eyes into slits.

"Waterkit…," the she-cat mumbled, "Let me sleep!"

"All right, Whitefoot!"The kit called Waterkit turned around, then let out an exclamation of surprise.

"Mothkit! You're awake! Now I don't have to wake up Smokekit and Blizzardkit to play." He nodded at a gray tabby tom and a white kit, both nestled by Whitefoot.

"Hi, Waterkit," Mothkit mewed. "Is Emberkit still asleep?"

"Hi, Mothkit!" The brown-and-red tom nestled by Lilyheart suddenly sat up, staring at Mothkit. Emberkit then pawed at the sleeping light brown and white kit next to him. "Wake up, Mosskit!"

The kit raised her head. "Emberkit! I was having an awesome dream…"

"Too bad! Warriors have to go on patrol even if they are having awesome dreams," Emberkit replied cheerfully.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstone for a Clan meeting!"

A ginger she-cat's head shot up. Mothkit recognized Firelight, who was expecting kits. "Clan meeting!" She sat up and stretched, then trotted out of the nursery. Lilyheart swept Mosskit, Emberkit, and Mothkit out of the nursery with her tail.

Mothkit looked around the camp. She was in a rocky clearing with dens on the edges. Cats were coming out of the dens. A scrawny-looking white tom was eating an even scrawnier mouse. Above all the cats was a golden tom, standing on a large rock. She recognized her father, Lionstar, on the Tallstone high above the clearing.

"Cats of LightningClan," Lionstar began, "We have three apprentices ready to be made warriors!"

For the first time Mothkit noticed three cats on the Tallstone behind Lionstar.

"Willowstripe, Dawnpetal, Pinetail, are your apprentices ready to be warriors?"

A brown tom with red stripes—Pinetail—answered for the other two. "We all agree that they are."

"Acornpaw, Branchpaw, Twigpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code at any cost, even that of your own life?"

"I do," mewed the light brown she-cat Acornpaw.

"I do," meowed Branchpaw—a brown tom with dark brown stripes.

"I do!" exclaimed the dark brown tom Twigpaw.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Acornpaw," Lionstar turned to the light brown she-cat, "your name shall be Acornfur. StarClan honors your loyalty and hunting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Branchpaw," Lionstar turned to the brown tom with dark brown stripes. "Your name shall be Branchpelt. StarClan honors your battle skills and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Twigpaw," Lionstar faced the dark brown tom. "Your name shall be Twigwhisker. StarClan honors your trustworthiness and your courage, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Acornfur! Branchpelt! Twigwhisker!" The assembled cats yowled the new warriors' names.

"Tonight you will sit vigil and guard the camp," Lionstar said to the new warriors. Then he jumped off the Tallstone, followed by Acornfur, Branchpelt, and Twigwhisker.

Lionstar padded up to Lilyheart. They exchanged a few words, then Lionstar turned around to gaze at his kits. Mothkit gave her chest fur a quick lick, hoping she didn't have any moss in her fur.

"Well, well! You three are so big now. How do you like the Clan?"

"The nursery roof leaks!" Waterkit had bounded up.

Lionstar purred. "I'll get some warriors to patch it. But," he added, "that means the snow is melting. Soon it will be newleaf!"

"Will there be more prey then?" Emberkit inquired.

"Yes, Emberkit," Lionstar replied. "And after newleaf is greenleaf! There is even more prey in greenleaf."

"And by then we'll be apprentices!" Mosskit squealed.

Lionstar gave her a lick, then meowed, "I'd better get going now. I have things to do. Goodbye!"

"Bye!" the kits chorused.

After he left, Smokekit dashed off, followed by Blizzardkit and Waterkit. Whitefoot followed more slowly. The kits had bowled over a gray tom. Mothkit noticed his white feet and remembered that he was Cloudfoot, Whitefoot's mate. Blizzardkit was clinging to his back, Waterkit was running circles around him, and Smokekit was stalking Cloudfoot's tail. Mothkit felt a pang of envy. Lionstar had never played with them. He was always too busy. She sighed.

Lost in thought, Mothkit had not noticed Emberkit sneaking up on her. She squealed when she was suddenly knocked over. Emberkit was triumphantly standing over her.

"Why, you! Let me up!" Mothkit struggled to sit up, but Emberkit had her pinned. She growled in frustration. Then something green whizzed by Emberkit's ear. Surprised, he loosened his grip on Mothkit. Mothkit gave a massive heave and managed to get up. Emberkit hissed, his victory snatched away from him.

"You…you haven't won!" Emberkit challenged Mothkit. He crouched. Mothkit watched his eyes dart back and forth. She watched his legs quiver. Predicting exactly where he would pounce, she easily sidestepped. Emberkit crashed into the ground. Taking advantage of his dazed state, she launched herself into the air, pinning him to the ground. He hissed, thrashing his limbs in a vain attempt to get up.

"Say I've won," Mothkit mewed into his ear.

"Never!"

Mothkit pushed Emberkit harder to the ground.

"Say I've won!" she hissed.

"You win! You win! Let me up!" Emberkit wailed.

Mothkit loosened her grip and let her brother wriggle out from underneath her.

"Good job," a new voice praised Mothkit.

Startled, Mothkit whirled around. Lionstar was standing behind her, his eyes gleaming.

"You're an excellent fighter. You guessed where he would pounce. You took advantage of distractions."

"I didn't guess," Mothkit declared proudly.

Lionstar purred. "I'm sure you didn't." Were his whiskers twitching in amusement?

"Who threw that moss ball, anyway? It made me lose!" Emberkit growled, unsheathing his claws.

"That was me." Mosskit emerged shyly from behind Lionstar.

Without warning, Emberkit yowled and jumped on Mosskit. Mosskit was no match for her brother. She struggled, trying her best to throw Emberkit off.

"That's not a fair fight!" Mothkit hissed. Letting out her fiercest caterwaul, she dragged Emberkit off of Mosskit. Mosskit instantly regained her feet and swiped rhythmically at Emberkit's muzzle until he yowled surrender.

"You two are a good team!" Lionstar praised Mosskit and Mothkit.

"What about me? Am I good too?" Emberkit mewed.

"Of course. Now," said Lionstar, "Why don't you bring some fresh-kill to Lilyheart and Whitefoot?"

Emberkit shot off, with his sisters at his heels. Before they could reach the fresh-kill pile they heard a yowl. Lilyheart poked her head out of the nursery.

"Iceberry! Iceberry! Leopardpelt's kits are coming!" The spotted queen had been expecting kits for a while now.

Before Iceberry even came out of the medicine den Mothkit heard Whitefoot's mew.

"Firelight's kits are coming, too!"

Mosskit was listening to all this with intense interest. When Iceberry passed her Mosskit called to her.

"Can I help?" she begged Iceberry. "Please?"

Lionstar exchanged a glance with Iceberry. "All right," Iceberry said finally, "but you have to do exactly as I say."

Mosskit trotted happily after Iceberry into the nursery. Waterkit, Smokekit, and Blizzardkit emerged.

"Hi, Mothkit!" Blizzardkit bounded up to Mothkit.

"We didn't want to watch," Smokekit mewed.

"Besides, it was too noisy in there!" Waterkit added.

"Kits!" a new voice called.

Mothkit turned around. A black she-cat had padded up. She had a white paw and blue eyes. Following her was a brown she-cat. Her belly and chest were red.

"I'm Moonfoot, and this is Robinheart."

"We're here to play with you."

After a long play session Leopardpelt had had her kits but Firelight was still kitting.

"Can we have some fresh-kill?" Smokekit asked.

"Certainly," Moonfoot replied.

Mothkit went over to the fresh-kill pile and chose a mouse. Mosskit's head peeked out of the nursery. Then she padded over to Mothkit.

"Want to share?" she asked Mosskit.

"Yes, please!" Mosskit purred.

Mothkit was licking her paw and wiping her face when Iceberry poked her head out of the nursery.

"You can come back now, kits!"

Mothkit walked back to the nursery. Firelight was laying in her nest, three kits suckling at her belly. Leopardpelt also had three kits. Falconpelt, the Clan deputy, was standing over Firelight, his gaze filled with pride. Beside Leopardpelt was Pebblewhisker. He looked slightly uncomfortable but otherwise proud. Iceberry looked very tired. She pulled Mosskit aside. They spoke for a bit, then Iceberry walked out of the nursery, followed closely by Mosskit.

There was so much that Mothkit wanted to ask. Where was Mosskit going? What were the kits' names? Would they be apprentices with me? But Mothkit was tired out from the long play session, and she was comfortably full. Sleepily she padded to Lilyheart's nest. She curled up in the soft moss and was asleep in no time at all.


	4. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Mothkit blinked against the sunlight coming into the nursery. A peculiar smell reached her nostrils. It was a wet, warm smell. Instantly she realized what it was. Letting out a happy meow, she poked Emberkit.

"Get up, sleepyhead!"

Emberkit rolled over and put his paws over his ears. "Go away."

Mothkit poked him harder. He groaned.

"Can you smell that?" Mothkit asked.

Emberkit arched his back in a stretch. "Smell what?"

"Newleaf!"

"You can't smell newleaf, Mothkit."

"Smell for yourself! It's warmer!"

Just then she felt a tail flick her ear. Lilyheart's mew whispered close to her ear.

"Leopardpelt and Firelight kitted only yesterday. Take Emberkit out of the nursery to play."

Mothkit bounded out of the nursery with Emberkit on her heels. Mothkit headed for the fresh-kill pile. She grabbed a large rabbit.

"I'm going to bring this to the nursery, Emberkit."

She lugged the rabbit to the nursery. Whitefoot was awake.

"Good, fresh-kill," she meowed. "I'm starved!"

Her meow woke Firelight.

"Can I talk to her?" Mothkit asked Whitefoot.

"She's going to need water. Go to the medicine den. There's a pool of water and moss there. After you get the water let her eat some fresh-kill. Then you can talk to her."

Mothkit hared out of the nursery. Following the stench of herbs, she soon found the medicine den. Iceberry was fast asleep in her nest. Mosskit was next to her. She lifted her head as Mothkit passed her.

"Mothkit?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes," she mewed quietly. "I'm getting some water in moss for Firelight."

"It's over there." Mosskit pointed her nose to a pile of moss. "Just soak it in the pool."

"And, Mosskit?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you sleeping here?"

"Iceberry needed me to help her sort herbs. I got tired, so she let me sleep here," Mosskit explained. "Now, I want to sleep some more. Get the water and go, please." She curled up tighter.

Quietly Mothkit got the moss and soaked it in the pool. She lapped up a few drops before she left. It tasted like snowmelt.

When she returned to the nursery Leopardpelt was also awake. She noticed Mothkit's ball of wet moss and asked, "Could I have that? I'm thirsty."

"It's for Firelight."

Firelight's voice sounded from across the nursery. "Falconpelt brought me some while you were gone. She can have it."

Mothkit dropped the moss by Leopardpelt. Then she padded across the nursery to see Firelight. Now that she was closer she could see the kits. The first, a tom, had fur that looked like someone had set it on fire and put it in the rain. It was as if his pelt was burnt. The next was a tortoiseshell she-cat. The last one was a pure black tom.

"The brown-red one is Scorchkit. The tortoiseshell she-cat is Brackenkit. And the black tom is Nightkit."

"They're so cute!" exclaimed Mothkit.

"You can see my kits, too," called Leopardpelt.

A tom with brown-and-white markings nuzzled Leopardpelt's belly.

"That's Splashkit."

Next to Splashkit was a tortoiseshell she-kit.

"That one is Flowerkit."

Next to Flowerkit was a golden tom that looked like Lionstar.

"And the last one is Sunkit."

"Sunkit looks like Lionstar," Mothkit remarked.

"Yes, he does," meowed Leopardpelt.

Lionstar's yowl sounded from outside. The other queens were already leaving. Leopardpelt and Firelight would just listen from the nursery.

Lionstar was standing on the Tallstone. Waterkit, Blizzardkit, and Smokekit were behind him. When all the cats had gathered Lionstar began.

"Waterkit, Blizzardkit, and Smokekit are ready to be apprenticed! Rainclaw," Lionstar beckoned with his tail to a dark gray tom, "you shall mentor Smokepaw." Smokepaw went to his new mentor and touched noses with him.

"Waterkit!" Waterkit stepped forward. "From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Waterpaw. Graynose," a gray tom stepped forward, "you will mentor Waterpaw."

"Blizzardkit! From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Blizzardpaw. Moonfoot, you shall mentor Blizzardpaw."

"Blizzardpaw! Smokepaw! Waterpaw!" the assembled cats yowled the apprentices' names.

Mothkit cheered along with the other cats. She felt a pang of envy, but she quickly pushed it away. She would join them in two moons!

After the ceremony she met up with Blizzardpaw.

"Congratulations!" Mothkit purred.

"Thanks!" Blizzardpaw purred back. "It was getting too crowded in the nursery. And, Mothkit, you will be joining me soon!"

"Blizzardpaw!" Moonfoot's yowl sounded across the clearing. "Falconpelt's put us on a hunting patrol! I'm going to teach you how to hunt!"

"Yes!" Blizzardpaw jumped straight up into the air. "Bye, Mothkit!"

As the clearing emptied of cats Emberkit met up with Mothkit. "I'm bored. Mosskit isn't fun to play with, Lionstar's busy, the new kits haven't even opened their eyes, and Lilyheart just wants to sleep! Will you play with me?"

"I'll play with you if Mosskit plays too," Mothkit tried. She didn't want to leave her sister out.

"No, I've decided to explore the forest!" Emberkit suddenly decided.

"Lilyheart won't let you," Mothkit reminded Emberkit.

"Who cares? She's sleeping. You can come too…unless you're a scaredy mouse."

"I'm not! I just don't want to get in trouble."

"Guess what? I'm going anyway. Bye." He walked off, his tail held high, heading for the entrance to the camp. Mothkit stared after him. A patrol was leaving. Mouseclaw, his apprentice Willowpaw, Applepelt, and his apprentice Ashpaw were being led out of the camp by Pebblewhisker. Pebblewhisker stopped abruptly, sniffing the air. Then he turned around and shouldered his way through the cats following him. He picked up Emberkit, who was hiding in a bush near the entrance, by the scruff. Emberkit squeaked indignantly as Pebblewhisker padded to the nursery and set Emberkit down by the entrance.

"What were you doing, Emberkit?" Pebblewhisker asked.

"I was going to explore the forest," Emberkit gloated.

Pebblewhisker twitched his whiskers, amused. "You're a little young to do that."

"How'd you know where I was?" Emberkit asked.

"I've been to the nursery plenty of times. I know your scent. Now, how about you explore the camp for now?" With that, Pebblewhisker led his patrol out of the camp.

"Hmph." But Emberkit couldn't stay mad for long. His eyes lit up. "I know! I'll get the elders to tell me a story!"

Mothkit had an idea. If she told Emberkit, he would not like it. So she wouldn't tell him. After Emberkit went to the elder's den, she headed to the medicine den. Mosskit was sitting by Iceberry, helping her prepare herbs. Mosskit looked up when Mothkit walked in.

"Hi, Mothkit!"

Iceberry noticed Mothkit's arrival and asked, "Do you need anything?"

Mothkit explained her plan.

"That sounds like a good idea. Here, I'll get you some mouse bile," Iceberry mewed, darting to the pile of moss. "Don't lick your paws when you're done, or you'll taste mouse bile for a moon!" She pawed a ball of moss and a twig towards Mothkit. As soon as Mothkit grasped the moss in her jaws, she dropped it, recoiling.

"It's stinky!"

Mosskit let out a _mrrow_ of laughter, and Iceberry's whiskers were twitching. "I had the same reaction when I first used mouse bile. Be glad that you won't be using it," said Iceberry.

Wrinkling her nose, Mothkit again took the moss in her mouth. She headed for the elder's den.

A white tom was speaking to Emberkit. Behind him, a brown tom had his head on his paws, one of which was gray. His nose twitched.

"Good, mouse bile. Willowtail's been complaining of a tick that she claims is as big as a blackberry!"

At his voice, a light brown she-cat raised her head. "Birchfoot, I am not claiming anything. I feel it digging into my fur! Now, will you get started?"

Now Mothkit had her brother's attention. "What's _that_? It smells horrible!"

"It's mouse bile. Put a bit on a tick and it drops right off." A white tom padded up to Mothkit. "Removing ticks is a chore done by apprentices. I had to do it constantly."

"You must be Eggfoot!" Mothkit exclaimed. "I heard that you were the medicine cat before Iceberry. You caught greencough, and you got better, but you moved to the elder's den."

"That's right," the white tom by Emberkit meowed. "And I'm Whitewhisker. I assume that you brought this here for Emberkit to do." Upon hearing his name, Emberkit lifted his head. "Do what?"

"Why, take care of my tick, of course," Willowtail rasped. "And while you're at it, you can get rid of my fleas." She lifted a hind leg to scratch her ear. "They're driving me crazy!"

"How do I get rid of your tick and your fleas?" Emberkit questioned.

"Dab a bit of mouse bile from the moss onto the tick. It'll drop off right away. As for fleas, you just comb through her fur and, when you find a flea, crunch it between your teeth," explained Eggfoot.

"Why don't _you_ do it, Mothkit?" Emberkit groaned.

"Because if you don't do it, the elders might not finish the story," interjected Willowtail impatiently. At that, Mothkit dropped the moss at Emberkit's feet and left the elder's den.

The sun was going down when Emberkit emerged from the elder's den. Mothkit was by the fresh-kill pile, scarfing down a thrush with Blizzardpaw beside her.

"Guess what? Whitewhisker got caught in a flood when he was an apprentice and he had to be rescued by StreamClan warriors!"

"I bet he did," a voice mewed behind Mothkit. "That sounds like Whitewhisker."

Startled, Mothkit whirled around to find Lionstar standing behind her. "I became leader when Whitewhisker had been a warrior for only a moon or two."

"Wow!" Emberkit exclaimed.

"He did many unusual things as an apprentice," Lionstar meowed. "Now, finish up your fresh-kill and get back to the nursery. It's getting late!"


	5. Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

"Hold still, Emberkit!" Lilyheart was roughly licking Emberkit. "You don't want to be dusty for your apprentice ceremony!"

Two moons had passed since Firelight and Leopardpelt had kitted, and Mosskit, Emberkit, and Mothkit would be made apprentices. The other kits in the nursery were looking on longingly.

"I'm clean enough!" Emberkit shied away from his mother's tongue and used a paw to wipe the moisture from his pelt. "Yuck!" Quickly Mothkit began to touch up her own fur before Lilyheart could start on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mosskit doing the same thing.

"No fair! We want to be made apprentices too!" Scorchkit had stepped forward defiantly.

Mothkit leaned over to lick his head. "It won't be long before you'll join me in the apprentice's den," she assured him.

"Will you visit us?" Splashkit begged.

"Whenever I can," Mothkit replied gently.

Brackenkit wiggled her haunches, but Mothkit stopped her pounce with a tail-tip to her back. "I just washed myself, Brackenkit!"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstone for a Clan meeting!"

Giving her fur one last lick, Mothkit followed Emberkit into the clearing. Resisting the urge to run ahead, she trotted with dignity to her spot near the Tallstone. Gazing up at Lionstar high up on the Tallstone, she caught his eye and he couldn't suppress the pleasure in his eyes.

"Cats of LightningClan, my kits are ready to be apprenticed!" Some of the senior warriors exchanged amused glances at the unhidden pride in Lionstar's mew.

"Emberkit!" Emberkit stepped forward. "From this moment, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be called Emberpaw. Cloudfoot will mentor you." The gray tom stepped forward to meet Emberpaw and touch noses with him.

"Mosskit! From this moment, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Mosspaw." Mothkit glanced at her sister. She was controlling her excitement, but it sparkled in her eyes. "Iceberry will be your mentor."

Iceberry! Mothkit should have guessed. Mosspaw had spent the last two moons almost constantly by Iceberry's side. A medicine cat was more Mosspaw's style.

"Mothkit!" Mothkit looked up, distracted from her thoughts. The cats who had noticed that exhibited slight amusement. Embarrassed, she straightened her back and lifted her chin. "Until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Mothpaw. Robinheart will mentor you." The brown she-cat stepped up to Mothpaw, and Mothpaw touched noses with her new mentor.

"Mothpaw! Emberpaw! Mosspaw!" The whole of LightningClan called out the new apprentices' names. Mothpaw basked in the attention. She was an apprentice at last!

The cats below Lionstar scattered, the ceremony ended. Iceberry trotted off, followed by a bouncing Mosspaw. Emberpaw and Cloudfoot had a brief conversation, then set off for the entrance to the camp. Mothpaw looked up at Robinheart.

"What will we do? Hunt? Train? Check the boundaries?" Mothpaw burst out.

"We are going to go on a border patrol," Robinheart mewed.

Mothpaw wanted to hop with excitement, but she controlled it and asked instead, "Who's coming?"

"Blizzardpaw, Moonfoot, and us. Lionstar's leading the patrol."

"Lionstar?" Mothpaw mewed, faintly surprised. She didn't know Clan leaders went on patrols.

"Yes, Lionstar. Now grab some fresh-kill if you're hungry. We'll be leaving shortly."

Mothpaw was devouring a shrew when Lionstar emerged from his den at the base of the Tallstone. His fur was glowing in the sunlight, and Mothpaw felt a new rush of admiration for her father. Moonfoot came out of a cave and called to Blizzardpaw, who emerged from a tree surrounded by brambles. All three cats bounded up to Mothpaw and Robinheart.

"Are you ready?" Lionstar asked. The rest of his patrol nodded confirmation, and he set off at a brisk pace for the entrance.

"Wow!" Mothpaw breathed. She had never been out in the forest before. So many sights and smells! She paused, her mouth open to take in every scent. She could smell trees, LightningClan cats, a breeze that reminded the forest of the greenleaf that would soon arrive, and a warm, delicious smell that made her mouth water.

"What's that smell?" Mothpaw asked her mentor.

"Vole," Robinheart answered. "Moonfoot, tell Lionstar not to wait for us. I'm going to teach Mothpaw how to hunt." She flicked her tail over Mothpaw's mouth, silencing her jubilant mew.

"Watch," commanded Robinheart. She crouched, her paws making no noise as she got into position. Her tail stuck out behind her, hovering just above the forest floor. She placed her paws lightly. Stepping carefully, she stalked the vole. It was snuffling around in the dead leaves. It suddenly stiffened. Robinheart stopped. The vole resumed its search for food. Robinheart got closer and closer…but her back, arched and ready to pounce, brushed a bit of dried bracken. The bracken rustled, and the vole shot off, disappearing in the roots of a large tree. "Mouse dung!" Robinheart growled. In a lighter tone she told Mothpaw, "Why don't you try the hunter's crouch?"

"Okay!" meowed Mothpaw. She tried imitating Robinheart, crouching and stepping. Just when Mothpaw had the crouch right, a squirrel scampered down a tree. It was fat and less than a fox-length from Mothpaw.

"You're downwind. Try catching it." Robinheart's breath stirred Mothpaw's ear fur. Stepping lightly, Mothpaw stalked the squirrel. It was looking for food and had no inkling that it was about to be fresh-kill. When the squirrel was close enough, Mothpaw almost pounced, then remembered Robinheart's mistake and checked if any bracken was by her back. Since there was none, she gathered her haunches, then pounced. She hit the squirrel with outstretched claws. It squealed in pain. Instinctively Mothpaw bit its neck. It went limp in her paws, and Mothpaw was startled by the salty tang of blood. Then Robinheart was beside her, complimenting her catch.

"Great catch! Let's bring this back to camp, then we can meet up with the patrol at the BreezeClan border." Mothpaw picked up the heavy squirrel in her jaws and followed Robinheart back to camp.

The cats in the camp were quite impressed with Mothpaw's first catch.

"Should I bring it to the elders?" Mothpaw asked.

"We've already eaten," Whitewhisker meowed from a sunny spot. "The queens might like it, though."

She lugged the squirrel to the nursery. Only Firelight and Leopardpelt were there now, and their two-moon old kits would be leaving soon. Splashkit bounded up to Mothpaw. "You're here! And you have fresh-kill!"

"W-wha…? I smell squirrel," Firelight had awoken. She licked her lips. "I'll have that. Come here, kits, and have some squirrel."

Leopardpelt meowed from across the nursery, "Firelight, save me some! I like freshly killed prey as much as you do." Brackenkit and Sunkit were batting the squirrel's fluffy tail around. "Kits, stop that! It's food, not a plaything." Despite her scolding, her eyes were full of love for her kits. Mothpaw dropped the squirrel and backed out of the nursery.

"Mothpaw! Come on!" Robinheart's yowl brought Mothpaw running. Mentor and apprentice dashed out of the camp, Mothpaw matching Robinheart's pace stride for stride. They ran through the forest. When the smell of the BreezeClan scent markers reached Mothpaw's nose she slowed down. Robinheart slowed as well. A yowl suddenly sounded up ahead. Mothpaw recognized that yowl. It was Blizzardpaw! She began to run again, Robinheart on her tail. They burst out of the trees to see four BreezeClan cats facing the patrol. Blizzardpaw had a long scratch down her back that was bleeding heavily. Looking closer, Mothpaw noticed that Blizzardpaw was on BreezeClan territory. She looked terrified. Lionstar and Moonfoot were standing just inside LightningClan territory with similar injuries.

"Prey-stealers!" one of the BreezeClan cats hissed.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry! I d-didn't smell the m-markers!" Blizzardpaw stammered.

"That's no excuse! Attack!" A brown BreezeClan cat yowled the order.

"Stop!"

Robinheart had stepped forward to face the patrol. Mothpaw followed.

"She's just an apprentice! You can tell she didn't mean it!"

"Accident or not, she's on our territory. We are obliged to attack trespassers!" the brown cat growled.

"Oh, really? Do those trespassers include apprentices a tail-length past the border?" Robinheart challenged.

"Attack!" snarled the brown cat.

"Barkclaw!"

A new yowl sounded from inside BreezeClan territory. A brown and black tom had appeared from behind a hill. His eyes were blazing with fury.

"That's an apprentice! You attacked a patrol—with the Clan leader on it, I might add—just because an apprentice chased a mouse a tail-length over the scent markers! I knew I made a mistake when I chose you, a battle-hungry cat, as my deputy."

"Stormstar!" Barkclaw looked genuinely embarrassed.

"Let the apprentice return to her own territory peacefully, and don't do this again!"

Barkclaw and his patrol backed up, and Blizzardpaw shot off into LightningClan territory. The BreezeClan patrol then followed their leader deeper into their territory.

After the BreezeClan cats had gone, Lionstar turned to face Robinheart and Mothpaw.

"Thank StarClan you came when you did. Robinheart, you did excellently," Lionstar meowed to Robinheart.

"They would have shredded me!" Blizzardpaw added. "I really didn't smell the markers. All I could smell was mouse. Thanks agai—ouch!"

"Come on, let's get back to camp," Moonfoot mewed.

The sight of the wounded cats caused an uproar in camp. All the cats were surrounding the patrol, asking question after question. The crowd finally dispersed when Iceberry and Mosspaw said they needed room to see to the injuries. Only Lilyheart, Waterpaw, and Smokepaw remained.

"Are you okay, Mothpaw?" Mosspaw asked her sister.

"I'm fine. I didn't do any fighting. Robinheart and I arrived after the fighting, and Stormstar stopped Barkclaw from attacking."

Iceberry was moving among the injured cats. "Mosspaw, fetch cobwebs and marigold!" Mosspaw shot off to the medicine den. "Waterpaw, if you are just going to stand there, you might as well make yourself useful. Check your sister's pelt for any more injuries. Smokepaw, why don't you go hunting with your mentor? Take Lilyheart with you."

"Why? I am allowed to check on my kit," Lilyheart meowed.

Lionstar went over to his mate and whispered a few words into Lilyheart's ear, then they rubbed muzzles. "Smokepaw! I'll get Rainclaw. Meet me at the entrance," Lilyheart ordered.

Once every cat had gone, Mothpaw went over to the fresh-kill pile and picked a shrew, though she wasn't very hungry. Picking at it, she recalled Stormstar's harsh words to his deputy.

"Are you going to eat that?"

A voice made Mothpaw jump. Acornfur was standing behind her. "No, I'm not hungry." She pushed the shrew to Acornfur with a paw. As Acornfur dug in, she asked, "Is something wrong? I heard that you got attacked by a BreezeClan patrol."

The story poured out of Mothpaw's mouth. When she got to the part about Stormstar rebuking his deputy, her voice faltered.

"You're worried that he might have been too harsh," Acornfur guessed. Mothpaw nodded, staring at her paws. "Don't worry. Stormstar might have been harsh, but he's fair. At a Gathering when I was a new apprentice, Stormstar once stopped the leader before him from declaring war on LightningClan. Also, he might have been as harsh as he was because Barkclaw has done that before!" Shocked, Mothpaw looked up. "Yes. I fell into the stream on the StreamClan border. The current was fast that day, so I got swept right to the BreezeClan camp! Barkclaw was so mad! Stormstar had to send him to gather herbs with the medicine cat to stop him from clawing off my ears!" In spite of herself, Mothpaw's tail curled up in amusement.

"Intruders! Intruders!" A snarl sounded from the forest. All the cats in the camp sat up or dashed out of their dens. Lionstar ran out of his, calling out names as he approached the entrance. "Acornfur, Mothpaw, Graynose, Robinheart, and Waterpaw! Follow me!" The summoned cats followed Lionstar out of camp, their paws pounding over the ground. The yowl sounded again, this time louder. Mothpaw sniffed as she ran. She smelled the bitter fear-scent of…Firelight's kits? The patrol burst through the trees.

They were at the StreamClan border. Barkclaw and three other cats were on the other side of the river in StreamClan territory. Barkclaw yowled, "Intruders!" again, and a squeal came from the river. On one of the larger stepping stones three sodden kits huddled fearfully. The squeal came from Nightkit, who was trembling at the edge of the stone. A heartbeat after Mothpaw noticed Nightkit he was swept off of the stone by a wave, letting out a deafening wail as he fell. Then his head went under, and both the BreezeClan cats and the LightningClan cats watched helplessly as Nightkit floundered in the water.

Suddenly a yowl rang out from StreamClan territory. Five StreamClan cats dashed up to the river. The cat in the front, a white she-cat, barred a light ginger she-cat from diving into the river. The ginger she-cat said a few words to the white she-cat, then dove into the river. Swimming strongly, the red cat quickly caught up to Nightkit. She grasped him firmly in her jaws, then suddenly went under. The white cat on the bank almost went in after her, but the red cat emerged, paddling to the LightningClan shore. She came out soaking wet with Nightkit. The other four cats on the opposite shore swam across the river to join their Clanmate, who was rubbing Nightkit's back with her paws.

"Will he be okay, Rosewillow?" the white she-cat asked.

"I think so, Freezetail," Rosewillow responded, still rubbing Nightkit. Nightkit sat up and vomited up several mouthfuls of water, then flopped back down, exhausted.

"Thank you, Freezetail and Rosewillow," Lionstar meowed, dipping his head respectfully to the white cat. "Troutstar made no mistake in making you his deputy."

"The little scrap will be fine," Rosewillow mewed. "The only problem is that he might catch a chill, but that isn't serious."

"Mistwing, Stormwhisker, go get the other two kits," Freezetail instructed. "And you," she said, turning to the BreezeClan patrol on the opposite bank, "what are you doing, trespassing in our territory? We heard the yowl of intruders and the kit's squeal, and my guess is that you were pretending to be a StreamClan patrol! Stormstar has always respected Clan boundaries. Why are you here?" Then she noticed that all the cats behind Barkclaw were holding fresh-kill. "Prey-stealers!" she snarled. "StreamClan, attack!"

The StreamClan cats went back to the riverbank and dove in. Stormwhisker and Mistwing dropped the kits they were holding and joined their Clanmates. They all bobbed under. The BreezeClan cats relaxed, thinking that the StreamClan cats would be swept downriver. Then they shot out of the water, bowling over the cats. Freezetail and Barkclaw, locked in a writhing mass of teeth and claws, rolled toward the river. The steep bank was a precarious place for a fight. Suddenly a strangled yowl sounded from Barkclaw. He had Freezetail's claws in his side and was sliding down the bank, bringing Freezetail with him. Freezetail let go of the heavier cat and scrambled to a safer spot. She stretched down her tail, trying to reach Barkclaw. He struggled below her, trying desperately to grab her tail. Then the current took hold of him and he was swept down the river. The fighting cats instantly broke up, and the StreamClan patrol dashed down the bank, trying to spot Barkclaw in the water. They were too late. Barkclaw was gone.

The BreezeClan cats yowled in anguish. Freezetail spoke briefly to one of the cats, and they dropped the fresh-kill and headed in the direction of their territory. Freezetail waved her tail in farewell to the LightningClan patrol, and the StreamClan cats left with the fresh-kill. Wordlessly, Acornfur, Graynose, and Robinheart grabbed a kit, and the patrol set off for the camp.


	6. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

"Guess what, Mothpaw!" Mosspaw was taking a quick break from her duties to share prey with her sister. "It's the half moon! I get to go with Iceberry to the Moonriver!"

It had been a moon since the encounter with BreezeClan and StreamClan, and LightningClan was prospering. Greenleaf had arrived, and the forest was so filled with prey that you practically treaded on a mouse every time you set your paws down.

"What's the Moonriver?" Mothpaw asked.

"Iceberry told me that it's a river that shines with the light of the moon. All the medicine cats go to it every half-moon to share tongues with StarClan. I'll tell you more when I get back." Iceberry's call sounded from the medicine den. "Got to go. Bye." She padded briskly away.

"Mothpaw!" Robinheart's meow made Mothpaw look up. "You have an assessment today! Finish your fresh-kill and I'll tell you more."

After Mothpaw had eaten Robinheart briefed her on her assignment. "You are to go hunt and bring back as much fresh-kill as you can. Emberpaw is doing this, too. You have till sunset. Even though you won't see me, I'll be watching you!"

At sunset, Mothpaw went back to camp; her jaws were so laden with fresh-kill that she was going to get another cat to help her carry back the rest. She set her prey on the pile, then saw Acornfur dining on a mouse.

"Acornfur!" Mothpaw called. "Are you busy?"

Acornfur swallowed. "No, just eating. Do you need something?"

"I caught too much fresh-kill! Help me bring it back?"

"Sure! I'll even get help. Hey, Twigwhisker!" she called to her brother across the clearing. "Come help bring back fresh-kill!"

When the three cats returned, Lionstar asked his daughter, "Did you really catch all that, or did you get them to help?"

"I would never do that!" Mothpaw mewed, horrified. Was he joking? "Anyway, you did great, Mothpaw. Get some fresh-kill if you're hungry."

After she ate, Mothpaw went to the apprentice's den. Her brother was already asleep in his nest. Yawning, Mothpaw curled up in hers. Her belly was full, her nest was warm, and life was good.

"Mothpaw! Wake up!"

Mothpaw struggled awake. It was dawn, and a cat was standing over her.

"What?" she growled.

"I'm not going to mentor you anymore."

Mothpaw recognized Robinheart speaking to her.

"Why?" Mothpaw asked, alarmed. "Did you do something to make Lionstar mad?"

Robinheart purred. "Absolutely not! I'm expecting kits!"

Mothpaw sat straight up. "_What? _You're expecting kits?" Then she recovered from the shock. "Congratulations!" she purred. "Who's the father?"

"Pinetail. I haven't told him yet. Pebblewhisker will take over your training."

Mothpaw sat up and stretched, then began to groom herself. "How did you find out?"

"Falconpelt was leading the dawn patrol. I was supposed to be on it, and I had to take you. I was about to wake you up when Lionstar came out and excused us from the dawn patrol. I asked him why after the patrol left. He told me I was expecting kits!"

"Why is Pebblewhisker taking over my training?" Mothpaw questioned.

"Lionstar said so," Robinheart meowed. "Now, come on! Since you're awake, you might as well get up." She prodded Mothpaw with a paw. "I said, get up, you lazy lump! The fresh-kill isn't going to catch itself, you know!" She left the den with Mothpaw close behind her. Mothpaw headed for the fresh-kill pile. Pinetail's brown-and-red head poked out of the warrior's den. He noticed Robinheart and ran over to greet her. Robinheart mewed something to him and his eyes widened. He was purring so loud that Mothpaw could her him from where she was eating.

"Mothpaw!" Waterpaw dashed up to Mothpaw. "Today is my final assessment! If I do well, Blizzardpaw, Smokepaw, and I won't be sleeping in the apprentice's den anymore!"

"Great! I'm glad that you are going to be a—" The pounding of paws toward the camp made Mothpaw stop.

"Help! Foxes!" The cry sounded outside the camp. Mothpaw recognized the voice of her sister. Before Lionstar could yowl any names to help, Waterpaw dashed off with his littermates behind him. Mothpaw left her meal to go see what they would do. They headed for the camp entrance. As soon as the four apprentices came into the forest they saw a terrifying sight: two russet-colored foxes chasing Mosspaw and Iceberry. Both foxes and cats bore wounds, and Iceberry had her jaws stuffed with a tangy-smelling herb. Immediately Smokepaw jumped into battle with a deafening caterwaul. Blizzardpaw and Waterpaw followed suit. Waterpaw and Smokepaw were fighting back one fox, but Blizzardpaw was left to fend off the other fox alone. Blizzardpaw darted in close to claw its face, but Mothpaw saw her mistake. Before she could dart out of the way the fox grasped one of her forelegs in its jaws. It shook Blizzardpaw violently, then flung her away. Blizzardpaw hit the ground and was still. The fox looked around. Its amber gaze fell on Mothpaw. Drool dripped from its vicious-looking teeth, which were stained with Blizzardpaw's blood. Then it lunged. Its teeth met in Mothpaw's neck. She yowled in agony as teeth scraped bone. Lashing out with her claws, she managed to deal a glancing blow to the fox's head. That only seemed to make it angrier. It faced Mothpaw. The inexperienced apprentice was no match for this fox, but she would keep fighting. She prepared to leap and land on its back. She fell short onto the fox's head. She clawed her way up onto its back. The fox shook her off easily, and she hit the ground as Blizzardpaw had done. The last thing she saw was Waterpaw ferociously clawing the fox that had attacked her. Then the world blurred into a blob of color and went black.

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know. Mosspaw, get me a dried oak leaf. We don't want this bite getting infected. Is that a goldenrod plant behind you? Bite off some of that for me, please."

Mothpaw heard voices. She thought she was in the medicine den, but the ground was so hard. Wouldn't she have a mossy nest in the medicine den? She wasn't sure. She hurt all over and her neck was throbbing. Slowly, painfully, she opened her eyes a crack. Globs of color covered her vision. After a bit she discerned Iceberry and Lilyheart over her. She moaned, flinching away from the bright light coming through the trees. "Where…?"

"Smokepaw! Waterpaw! Emberpaw! Mothpaw's awake!" Iceberry turned and meowed. The apprentices rushed over to see her. Mothpaw tried again. "Where…where am I?" She coughed.

"There was no time to take you back to camp. There was a fallen log full of cobwebs nearby, and I had Mosspaw get some herbs from camp. How do you feel?" Iceberry mewed.

"I hurt everywhere," Mothpaw groaned.

"Here, eat these. They'll make you feel better." Iceberry pushed three small black seeds toward Mothpaw. "Oh, water! Good, Waterpaw. Do you want some water, Mothpaw?" Mothpaw lapped gratefully at the wet moss, then licked up the seeds. "Will one of you apprentices lay by her to keep her warm?"

"I'll do that," Waterpaw mewed quietly. He curled up by Mothpaw and purred softly. His steady purr relaxed Mothpaw, and she was suddenly drowsy. Sighing, she gave way to the comfortable blackness of sleep.

"Mothpaw. Mothpaw, wake up."

Mothpaw grunted. A voice was mewing in her ear. "What is it, Mosspaw?" she grumbled.

"Blizzardpaw, Smokepaw, and Waterpaw are going to be made warriors! I thought you might want to see."

"I just want to sleep, but I wouldn't miss this for anything." Mothpaw sat up and stretched, grimacing at the ache in her shoulder. She tried to put weight on it, and gasped with pain. Mosspaw offered her shoulder and Mothpaw gladly accepted the support. Together the two sisters came out of the medicine den. Lionstar was on the Tallstone. The soon-to-be warriors were behind him.

"I, Lionstar, leader of LightningClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Blizzardpaw, Smokepaw, Waterpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," meowed Waterpaw, his voice ringing clearly through the camp.

"I do," Blizzardpaw echoed, the excitement in her eyes barely hiding the pain from her injury in them.

"I do," mewed Smokepaw, his voice shaking.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Waterpaw, your name shall be Waterclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." Lionstar touched his nose to Waterclaw's head, and Waterclaw licked his leader's shoulder.

"Smokepaw, your name shall be Smokepelt. StarClan honors your loyalty and your hunting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." Smokepelt licked Lionstar's shoulder when Lionstar touched his head.

"Blizzardpaw, your name shall be Blizzardwing. StarClan honors your compassion and your eagerness, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Waterclaw! Smokepelt! Blizzardwing!" Mothpaw joined in yowling the new warriors' names.

"Mothpaw, do you want some fresh-kill?" Mosspaw mewed from beside her after the meeting broke up. "I'll share a mouse with you." The sisters headed to the fresh-kill pile, Mothpaw limping heavily beside her. "Is your shoulder okay?"

"It still hurts a lot," Mothpaw admitted as Mosspaw sifted through the pile.

"After we eat, I'll ask Iceberry if you can have some poppy seed to ease the pain," Mosspaw mumbled around a squirrel she held in her jaws. True to her promise, Mothpaw had barely swallowed the last bit of squirrel when Mosspaw headed for the medicine den. She emerged shortly after with a leaf wrap held carefully between her teeth. She shook out two small black seeds from it, and while Mothpaw licked them up Mosspaw explained a few things.

"These will make you sleep for a while. Iceberry said that you should go to your nest before you fall asleep on your paws." Sure enough, a wave of drowsiness swept over her, and she stumbled to the apprentices' den under the tree. Sinking into her nest, she fell asleep. She slept peacefully at first. After a while, Mothpaw had nightmares. She thrashed in her nest and yowled in her sleep. When she woke up everything was a haze of black and red. She felt so hot. Moaning, she rolled over.

"Mothpaw? Are you okay?" A voice broke through the haze. The almost unrecognizable silhouette of Willowpaw loomed above her. She let out a gasp. "You're burning up! Iceberry!" Willowpaw dashed out of the den, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be back soon!" Mothpaw did not reply, just breathed in her scent as an escape from the nastiness she was experiencing. Lying in the moss, she listened to the indistinct mews from outside. A figure padded into the den.

"Mothpaw. It's Iceberry. I can make you feel better. You need to eat as much of this herb as you can." She pushed some leaves toward Mothpaw. Mothpaw took one in her mouth and chewed, almost oblivious to the bitter smell and taste. Her throat was too parched to swallow, though, and she spat out the half-chewed leaf. Wordlessly, Iceberry held out a sodden ball of moss to Mothpaw, and Mothpaw feebly lapped up a few drops, then ate a couple of the bitter leaves. She sank her head back down onto the moss, but Iceberry had more to say.

"Mothpaw, we've got to move you to the medicine den. Can you walk?" Mothpaw stood on shaky legs, took a step, and crashed onto the sleeping form of Sparrowpaw. He let out an annoyed hiss that he quickly cut off when he smelled illness. He rolled out from underneath Mothpaw and offered his side for support. With Iceberry supporting her other side, Mothpaw padded slowly into the clearing. Cats moved to the side to create a path for the ill apprentice to the medicine den. She stumbled and fell more than once, but nearby cats nudged her to her feet. When the three cats reached the medicine den, Mosspaw quickly scraped together a pile of moss for her stricken sister, and Mothpaw collapsed into it. She was dimly aware of a pressure on her sore shoulder. She squealed in pain and shifted position. Her last thought was that she was probably getting a poultice on her shoulder, then the thought faded and the world was enveloped in darkness.

She awoke again with mixed smells around her: of herbs, of her littermates, of Pebblewhisker and Robinheart, and of Lionstar and of Lilyheart. She opened her eyes a slit, then closed them again.

"Mothpaw!" Lilyheart's mew was close by. "You're okay! Thank StarClan!" Licks covered her face, and Mothpaw moved and opened her eyes again. Lilyheart and Lionstar were over her, happy now that their daughter had recovered. Iceberry mewed something from across the medicine den. "Mosspaw, has the fever gone down?" Mosspaw came over and pressed her nose to Mothpaw's pelt, and meowed to her mentor, "Yes! If she wants any fresh-kill, she can have some, right?" At Iceberry's nod, Mosspaw asked Mothpaw, "Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving!" Mothpaw replied.

"Mosspaw, come here and help me prepare these herbs. Some other cat can get some fresh-kill for Mothpaw," Iceberry mewed. Mosspaw reluctantly padded to her mentor, and Pebblewhisker exited the den and returned with a plump vole. Mothpaw wolfed it down hungrily, and when she was done Mosspaw rubbed a poultice onto Mothpaw's fox bite, which was swollen and red.

"Is that infected?" Mothpaw inquired.

"Yes. That's why you got that fever," Iceberry responded.

"The fox smelled of crow-food," a new voice mewed from the entrance to the cave. "I'm not surprised it got infected." It was Blizzardwing. "My bites got infected, but Iceberry took care of them right away. Getting a fever from an infected wound means it is badly infected, right?"

"That's right," Mosspaw meowed.

"Also, could I return to my warrior duties yet? My injuries feel better!"

Mosspaw padded over to Blizzardwing and gave her a good sniff. "Wait another day or two. I don't want them to open up again." Iceberry came over to smell Blizzardwing and confirmed Mosspaw's diagnosis. Then she turned to Mothpaw.

"You should sleep now. Mosspaw or I will wake you if there's trouble," she added, seeing the dismayed look on Mothpaw's face. Mothpaw consented, curling up and putting her tail over her nose. She lay awake for a long while, desperate to learn and hunt, but sleep finally overcame her.


	7. Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

"Mothpaw! Come on! You're getting your hunting assessed!"

"Coming, Pebblewhisker!"Mothpaw mewed around a bite of starling she was sharing with Blizzardwing. Under her breath she growled, "Bossy furball."

"Let's hope you don't encounter any more foxes out there!" joked Blizzardwing. Mothpaw flicked her friend's ear with her tail before padding off to join her mentor. She passed Lilyheart on the way, and her mother rasped her tongue quickly over the scar on her daughter's shoulder. It had healed quickly despite the infection.

"Mothpaw!" Pebblewhisker's meow sounded again from the entrance to the camp.

"I said I'm coming!" Mothpaw meowed, struggling to hold her temper. She met up with him and as they trotted out of the camp Pebblewhisker briefed her on her assignment.

"Head to the StreamClan border. If you hunt well you might go to the Gathering tonight!" To Emberpaw, who was also getting assessed, he said, "Head in the opposite direction, to the BreezeClan border. Hunt as much as you can. Now, go on!" He headed off into the bushes.

"See you later, Mothpaw," mewed Emberpaw. She watched his mottled tail vanish in the bracken, then opened her jaws and almost immediately smelled squirrel. She followed the scent until she saw it scuffling for food under a tree. She got into the hunter's crouch and stalked it until she was close enough to pounce. She quickly killed it and scraped earth over it so she could collect it later.

After a long time of hunting she returned to camp with a lot of prey in her mouth.

"Great job!" meowed Pebblewhisker. "You and Emberpaw can go to the Gathering if Lionstar says you can."

"Yes!" mewed Emberpaw around the prey he held. Mothpaw said nothing, but inside she was bursting with excitement. This would be her first Gathering, and she was looking forward to seeing all the cats. She padded into camp with Pebblewhisker and Emberpaw and dropped her prey on the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a rabbit she had caught and brought it to the nursery. As soon as she came in all of the kits hurled themselves on her, squealing in delight. Mothpaw staggered, grunting in surprise.

"Kits! Get off Mothpaw!" Leopardpelt mewed. At the same moment Firelight scolded her kits.

"But we were practicing a warrior ambush!" Sunkit protested around Mothpaw's tail, but he let go of her tail. The other kits hopped off of Mothpaw, and she dropped the rabbit by the two queens.

"Could I have something too, Mothpaw?" Mothpaw recognized Robinheart's mew. "Robinheart!" Mothpaw meowed in surprise. She hadn't known Robinheart had moved to the nursery. "I'll get you a vole." She snatched a vole from the fresh-kill pile, ran back to the nursery, and gave it to her former mentor. She was looking quite round now.

"Mothpaw!" Scorchkit's mewl sounded behind her. "Will you stay a little longer?" His sister Flowerkit emerged from behind her brother, adding, "Please?"

"Mothpaw!" Pebblewhisker's mew sounded from the entrance to the nursery. "Eat some fresh-kill if you're hungry and then get some rest. You're going to the Gathering tonight!" As if in response, Mothpaw's belly rumbled. She mewed a hasty goodbye to the kits and squeezed past Pebblewhisker to the fresh-kill pile. Leaving Pebblewhisker to visit his mate, she chose a squirrel and devoured it in quick, neat bites. She padded past her sister on the way to the apprentice's den and meowed a quick greeting to her. Mosspaw beckoned to her with her tail, and Mothpaw followed her to a sunny spot. They settled down, and Mosspaw began licking Mothpaw's head. The littermates shared tongues until Mothpaw curled up in a bit of nearby bracken with her sister and dozed off.

"Mothpaw! Mosspaw!"

Mothpaw sat up. Her sister was waking up beside her. Falconpelt was standing over them, the tip of his tail twitching impatiently. "If you don't get up you might be left behind!"At that, Mothpaw leaped up and stretched. The Gathering! Lionstar and some other cats were standing at the entrance to the camp, waiting for the last cats.

"Iceberry, are you coming or not?" Falconpelt called to the medicine den. From there came a muffled "Ouch!" and Iceberry appeared with a thorn in her teeth. She spat it out and mewed, "I just need to put some marigold on Emberpaw's paw and I'll come. He got a thorn in his pad." She poked her head back in her den and meowed to her patient, "I'll be right there, Emberpaw!" She padded to Lionstar and said quietly, "I don't think he should go to the Gathering. I don't want his paw to get infected."

Emberpaw wasn't going! He had trodden on a thorn! At least she was still going. Iceberry went back to the medicine den and came back out with a limping Emberpaw. She told him a few things, and he went to the fresh-kill pile, and Iceberry joined Mosspaw with the group of cats. They set off through the forest.

As they raced through the forest, Mothpaw asked her mentor, "Where are we going?"

"The Gathering," puffed Pebblewhisker.

"I mean, where will the Gathering be?" Mothpaw inquired, but he had pulled ahead. Sighing, she followed him. She caught up with Mosspaw and ran with her. Her sister had already been to a Gathering before. As the cats ran, the forest thinned out. Mothpaw peered into the darkness, and saw by the light of the full moon a hollow quite nearby. A river wound around it.

"That's the Moonriver," Mosspaw panted.

The scent of many different cats filled the air. Soon Lionstar slowed down. They were at the top of the hollow. A large ledge jutted out from the rocky wall, and three cats were on it. Many more cats were in the hollow below them. Lionstar started climbing down a less steep part of the wall, and the other cats followed. Mothpaw picked her way down carefully, fearful of falling down. When they got in the hollow Lionstar immediately vanished into the crowd with Falconpelt and emerged on the huge ledge with the other three cats. Falconpelt was on a lower ledge with three other cats.

"Let the Gathering begin!" he meowed, silencing the mutters in the crowd below. "LightningClan will start. The Clan has plenty of prey. We also have three new warriors: Blizzardwing, Smokepelt, and Waterclaw!" The cats called their names in congratulations, and Mothpaw noticed Blizzardwing beside her with her head lowered, embarrassed. "We got attacked by two foxes this past moon. We drove them into BreezeClan territory. Several cats were injured but they all are recovered." He stepped back, dipping his head to the black-and-brown tom Mothpaw recognized as Stormstar.

"BreezeClan is doing well." Mothpaw noticed he made no mention of the prey-stealing incident with StreamClan. "Barkclaw has died, and Eagleclaw is BreezeClan's new deputy." A white tom, striped with brown, nodded. "Our medicine cat, Rabbitfur, has taken an apprentice: Heatherpaw. BreezeClan has no more news; Troutstar may share his news next." A brown tom with a black tail stepped forward.

"Prey-stealers!" Troutstar snarled at Stormstar.

"What?" Stormstar meowed in outrage. "How dare you accuse BreezeClan of prey-stealing!"

"I dare," Troutstar growled, "and I have evidence." On the lower ledge Freezetail stepped forward. "Freezetail, tell them what you saw."

Freezetail went over the story of the lost LightningClan kits and the BreezeClan cats with prey.

"That's a lie!" Stormstar hissed, unsheathing his claws. The two toms faced each other, fur bristling. In the clearing below, BreezeClan and StreamClan cats were doing the same as their leaders. Mothpaw squeezed her eyes shut, sure that the clearing would explode into battle any moment, but instead a loud yowl rang out through the hollow.

"Stop this at once!"

Mothpaw opened her eyes. A red she-cat had pushed between the bristling toms, her eyes blazing in fury. "Remember the truce!"

Gasps sounded around the clearing, and most of the cats settled down. Quickly Mothpaw asked Pebblewhisker, "Who's that red she-cat?"

"Tawnystar, leader of DarkClan," he answered.

Mothpaw turned back to the ledge. Stormstar meowed to Lionstar, "LightningClan was there, she says. Can you tell us your side of the story?" Mothpaw noticed that he was barely containing his temper. Lionstar outlined the story, from hearing the yowl of intruders to the BreezeClan cats forfeiting the stolen prey. Finally Lionstar stepped back to hear Stormstar's analysis.

"I had never heard of this event. But," he admitted grudgingly, "the evidence piles too high against it. Barkclaw must have done it without my knowing."

"He did," a cat meowed from the crowd. Mothpaw looked around and saw a ginger-she cat standing on a rock. "He told me when I told him that I was expecting his kits. He said that so many kits meant we needed more territory. I disagreed with him."

"Squirrelfoot, you are as trustworthy as Barkclaw was battle-hungry. I believe you, and I thank you for your support. Tawnystar, does DarkClan have any news?"

"No. This Gathering is over." She leaped off the ledge, followed by the other leaders. Lionstar led his Clan out of the hollow and back to the camp.

"What happened? What happened?" Emberpaw meowed as soon as he saw his sisters.

"There was almost a fight, but Tawnystar stopped it," Mothpaw mewed sleepily.

"I'll tell you. Mothpaw looks tired," Mosspaw meowed. Flashing a look of gratefulness at her sister, Mothpaw crept to the apprentice's den and fell soundly asleep.


	8. Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

"Mothpaw! Mothpaw!" A tiny paw was poking her side.

"What?" Mothpaw mewed irritably.

"Wake up! I have news!" Mothpaw opened her eyes. It was Splashkit, and his eyes were sparkling in excitement. "I'm going to be an apprentice _right now_!"

"That's great, but why did you have to wake me?" Mothpaw sat up and arched her back in a stretch. "I did the dawn patrol!"

"Sorry, Mothpaw." Splashkit looked hurt.

Mothpaw gave his head a lick. "That's alright, Splashkit. I'll be awake to see your apprentice ceremony."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstone for a Clan meeting!"

"It's time!" Splashkit charged out of the apprentice's den, and Mothpaw followed more slowly. She took her place in the crowd and waited for the ceremony to begin.

"Cats of LightningClan, six kits are ready to be apprenticed. Nightkit," he looked at the black kit, "until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Nightpaw. Floodfang," the tabby tom stepped forward. "you will mentor Nightpaw." Floodfang touched noses with his apprentice.

"Flowerkit," the tortoiseshell kit looked up, "until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Flowerpaw. Blueleaf," the blue she-cat stared at Lionstar with gleaming green eyes, "you have not had an apprentice yet. You will mentor Flowerpaw." Mentor and apprentice touched noses.

"Sunkit," Lionstar meowed, "until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Sunpaw. Waterclaw," the light brown tabby tom stood regally near the Tallstone, "your fist apprentice will be Sunpaw." After touching noses with his new apprentice, Waterclaw gazed at Mothpaw with something like hunger in his green eyes. She tried to ignore it, but she could feel his gaze burning into her fur.

"Brackenkit," the tortoiseshell kit stepped forward, "until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Brackenpaw. Smokepelt," the smoky gray tom walked to Brackenpaw, "you shall mentor Brackenpaw."

"Scorchkit," Lionstar addressed the brown-red tom, "until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Scorchpaw. Russetfang," Lionstar summoned the dark ginger tom, "you will mentor Scorchpaw."

"Splashkit," the excited brown-and-white tom looked at Lionstar, "until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Splashpaw. Blizzardwing, you shall mentor Splashpaw."

"Nightpaw! Flowerpaw! Sunpaw! Brackenpaw! Scorchpaw! Splashpaw!"

"Also," Lionstar continued, "we have apprentices ready to be made warriors!"

Confused, the cats glanced around the clearing. Then Mothpaw spotted Willowpaw, Sparrowpaw, and Ashpaw on the Tallstone.

"I, Lionstar, leader of LightningClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Willowpaw, Sparrowpaw, Ashpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," meowed Sparrowpaw; the ginger-speckled pale brown tom had clearly known he would be a warrior today.

"I do," his gray-and-white sister Ashpaw echoed.

"I do," their light brown tabby littermate Willowpaw mewed.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sparrowpaw, your name shall be Sparrowflight. StarClan honors your determination and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." Lionstar touched his nose to Sparrowflight's head, and Sparrowflight licked his shoulder.

"Ashpaw, your name shall be Ashcloud. StarClan honors your kindness and your fairness, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." The newly christened Ashcloud licked her leader's shoulder.

"Willowpaw, your name shall be Willowfern. StarClan honors your hunting skills and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Willowferm! Ashcloud! Sparrowflight!" Mothpaw cheered with the crowd of cats.

Lionstar hopped off the Tallstone and spoke with the new warriors. They took their positions by the camp entrance to sit vigil and guard the camp for the night. Mothpaw knew she should get some sleep, but her long nap left her with a lot of energy.

"Mothpaw!"

Mothpaw glanced around. Splashpaw and Blizzardwing were by the camp entrance.

"We're on the dusk patrol!" Blizzardwing called. "Get Pebblewhisker."

"Okay!" she mewed, padding over to the warrior's den. As they entered the forest, Mothpaw asked, "Where will we patrol?"

"The BreezeClan border," Blizzardwing answered.

They soon emerged from the forest. They remarked the border, then Blizzardwing quizzed her new apprentice.

"What do you smell?"

Splashpaw opened his jaws. "Mouse!"

"We're not hunting," Blizzardwing mewed. "What else can you smell?"

"LightningClan." Suddenly his eyes widened. "What's that smell?"

Pebblewhisker tasted the air. "Dog," he mewed, "but it's stale. A Twoleg was probably walking a dog here a day or two ago."

"Anything else?" Blizzardwing prompted.

Splashpaw sniffed again. "BreezeClan patrol coming!" he meowed in alarm.

Blizzardwing smelled the air. "It's just two cats," she mewed. "Maybe they're just night hunting. Anyway, we don't need to be too worried. We didn't cross the border."

Two BreezeClan cats appeared over a rise. As they got closer Mothpaw recognized Eagleclaw, the BreezeClan deputy. Another cat, a brown tom, was with him.

"Hello, Eagleclaw, Rabbitfur." Pebblewhisker dipped his head to the two cats. "Has Stormstar lost his ninth life?"

"Yes." Eagleclaw's eyes sparkled in sadness. "I am going to the Moonriver to receive my nine lives from StarClan."

"I will pass the news on to Lionstar. He was a great leader."

"Thank you. Now, we must be going," meowed Rabbitfur. The two cats padded off.

"Well, there's nothing more to see here. Let's get back to camp. Splashpaw looks like he's asleep on his paws!" meowed Pebblewhisker. Blizzardwing glanced at her apprentice and murmured agreement. By now Mothpaw was almost as tired as Splashpaw. She headed back to camp with the rest of the patrol. As she curled up in her nest she was dimly aware of Splashpaw asleep in the nest beside her. Then she fell fast asleep.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a pond. Alarm shot through her, and she immediately began to tread water to stay afloat among the duckweed. Mothpaw saw the bank, and relief swept over her as she paddled toward it. An odd smell hit her nose as she neared it—StreamClan, but laced with a scent that reminded her of the Thunderpath. Mothpaw reached the bank and struggled to find a clawhold on the slippery surface. Then a giant frog glared down at her.

"Can you help me?" Mothpaw gasped. The frog just laughed and struck at her face with its feet. It stung like a scratch, and Mothpaw lost her grip and fell into the water. As she sank deeper and deeper, all she could hear was the frog's chilling laugh. Blackness threatened to overwhelm her vision, and the last thing she saw was a cat's head, gray with glowing green eyes. Then all went dark , and she heard a voice.

_"Beware the frog in the stream that will bring destruction to the whole forest. Only the moth in the meadow can save the Clans."_


	9. Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Mothpaw! Battle training!"

"Can I at least have a mouse first?" Mothpaw groaned. It had been two moons since Stormstar had died; Eaglestar was leader of BreezeClan now. Pebblewhisker seemed to be taking every chance to give Mothpaw something to do.

"Okay, but make it quick."

After gulping down her mouse she followed her mentor to the place where apprentices trained. It had a mossy floor, making it safe for scuffling apprentices. Across the small clearing Pebblewhisker fluffed up his fur. "Attack me," he growled.

Mothpaw looked at him for a bit. He was bigger and heavier than she was, but she was nimbler. She darted under his belly and arched her back. He crashed nearby, but regained his paws quickly. He ran at her, flashing out a paw, but she dodged and pounced on him. She clung to his back with unsheathed claws, careful not to dig them into him. Suddenly he heaved her off, and she instinctively hung on with her claws. The force of his heave was too much, though, and she scratched his back as she fell.

"Ouch!" meowed Pebblewhisker. Clumps of fur were missing on his back, and there were thin lines of blood. "Don't you know that you keep your claws _sheathed_ during training sessions?" he growled angrily.

"I'm sorry, Pebblewhisker! I really am! I was just trying to hang on and I was being really careful but your heave surprised me!" As Mothpaw babbled Pebblewhisker's gaze softened.

"I know you didn't mean it, Mothpaw. How about we go on patrol? Then you can find some fresh-kill to dig your claws into. That was really good fighting, though. At this rate you'll be a warrior before Robinheart has her kits!"

"Really?" Mothpaw gasped. Robinheart's belly was so round that she would probably have her kits any day now.

"Really. Now, come on!" He turned around and headed back to camp. Mothpaw hurried to catch up with him.

"I thought you said we were going on patrol!" she mewed confusedly.

"Yes, but a warrior and apprentice aren't enough cats for a patrol," Pebblewhisker meowed.

"Oh," Mothpaw mewed. _Mouse-brain!_

They went back to camp. Sunpaw and Waterclaw joined the patrol. Was she imagining it, or was Waterclaw staring at her again? They remarked the border, and as they headed back to camp Sunpaw stiffened. "I smell strange cats!"

Waterclaw smelled the air. "Rogue, probably. We should be able to drive it off." He took a step forward, but Pebblewhisker barred him with his tail.

"Why don't you _think _first? There are a lot of them, not just one. Sunpaw, go back to camp and get reinforcements."

"But—" Sunpaw began to object, but was silenced by a glare from Waterclaw. "Okay." He hurried off, and the rest of the patrol continued through the trees. Mothpaw took a breath of the scent.

"Wait—I smell StreamClan!" she mewed.

"StreamClan?"Waterclaw meowed. He sniffed. "Yes, that is StreamClan. Well scented, Mothpaw."

Mothpaw rounded on him. "You aren't my mentor!" she snarled. She was tired of the way he acted like he was Clan leader and of his constant staring.

"But I _am_ a warrior," he mewed. "_You're_ just an apprentice."

"Waterclaw, Mothpaw, stop it! The cats will hear us!" Pebblewhisker stepped between the arguing cats. Waterclaw just sat down and licked a paw like he didn't really care.

"Relax." Pebblewhisker's tail smoothed her bristling fur. She forced her fur to lie flat, but she kept glaring at Waterclaw. Suddenly Lionstar's golden pelt appeared through the brambles. The rest of him followed soon after. He had brought more warriors.

"Pebblewhisker, Mothpaw, Splashpaw, Waterclaw, Sunpaw, Blizzardwing, go that way." He signaled with his tail to a large tree. "Stay there until you here my signal."

"Come on," meowed Waterclaw. He trotted off, and Mothpaw let out a faint hiss. He was so infuriating! She waited with the other cats behind the tree and strained to see the intruders. She soon spotted a brown tom with black feet. He reeked of StreamClan. Two massive, muscular toms—one a tabby, one black and white—padded beside him. The tabby was talking to the StreamClan cat in hushed tones. The black and white one kept tasting the air. He suddenly stopped.

"I smell cats nearby," he told the tabby in a deep mew. "Perhaps we should get going."

"Thank you, Badger," the tabby mewed back. "Frogclaw, we must be going now."

"You aren't going anywhere. Attack, LightningClan!" Lionstar yowled. Mothpaw leapt out of the bushes. She was tingling all over. Her first battle!

"I had a feeling this would happen, Badger. Attack!" the tabby yowled. Frogclaw immediately followed the cat called Badger into battle.

"That's all?" meowed Waterclaw scornfully. "I would think—"

He never finished his sentence. Cats burst through the trees, as muscular as Badger. Beside her, Sunpaw squeaked, "They're _huge_!"

One of the rogue cats charged at Mothpaw. Remembering the bout with Pebblewhisker earlier that day, she scooted under his belly. Then she flipped over onto her back and clawed out pawfuls of his fur. He yowled in pain when she sliced open his belly. She pushed up hard with all four legs and he was flung right at the paws of Splashpaw. He clawed his face until the rogue screeched in pain and retreated into the trees.

"One down," he puffed.

"And more to go!" Mothpaw replied as a huge gray tabby hurled himself at her. With Splashpaw on his back she cuffed his ears. The tom quickly shook Splashpaw off and bit at Mothpaw's attacking paws. Splashpaw lay winded nearby, but Mothpaw had no time to check on him. She suddenly heard Emberpaw's yowl. She whirled around and saw him fighting a black tom. He had a long scratch down one side. During her moment of distraction the tom clawed her side. She quickly retaliated, scratching the tom's face until he yowled surrender and dashed off.

LightningClan fought hard against the powerful cats. Eventually the tabby from before yowled "Retreat!" to his cats, and soon only Frogclaw remained. Waterclaw had him pinned in a heartbeat, and Lionstar padded up behind him.

"What were you doing on our territory?" Lionstar growled.

"You'll have to kill me before I'll tell you that!" Frogclaw spat.

Lionstar sighed. "Let him go, Waterclaw. He isn't going to give us much information."

Waterclaw glared at Lionstar, but even he would not dare to defy his leader. He loosened his grip, and Frogclaw dashed off in the direction of his own territory.

"Let's go back to camp," Lionstar meowed.

At camp every cat got their wounds taken care of, and Lionstar leapt onto the Tallstone. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstone for a Clan meeting!"

He hopped off as cats began to assemble. Standing at the base of the Tallstone, he waited until everyone was there before he began.

"Cloudfoot, Pebblewhisker, are Emberpaw and Mothpaw ready to become warriors?" Beside her, Emberpaw gasped, and Mothpaw was stunned.

"Mothpaw has learned all I have to teach her," Pebblewhisker mewed, and Cloudfoot meowed, "Emberpaw is more than ready."

"I, Lionstar, leader of LightningClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Emberpaw, Mothpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Emberpaw meowed clearly.

"I do," Mothpaw breathed, excitement making her feel light-headed.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Emberpaw, your name shall be Emberclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." Lionstar touched his nose to Emberclaw's head, and Emberclaw licked his shoulder.

"Mothpaw, your name shall be Mothflower. StarClan honors your kindness and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan." Mothflower licked her father's shoulder when he touched his nose to her head.

"Mothflower! Emberclaw!" As the cats called out their names Mothflower surveyed the clearing. Lilyheart was cheering beside Mosspaw.

"You will sit vigil and guard the camp," Lionstar mewed.

"Lionstar?" Firelight's mew came from the back of the crowd. "Have you seen Falconpelt? I checked the warriors' den and the dirtplace, but he's not here."

"Mothflower, Whitefoot, Firelight, come with me back to the place where we fought. Maybe he's still there." Mothflower knew that all of the cats had one unspoken thought, which was voiced by Sunpaw.

"What if he's dead?"

"Sunpaw!" Leopardpelt scolded her son. "He may still be alive!"

When the small patrol of cats returned to the trees where the battle took place, bodies lay on the ground.

"Check each one," Lionstar commanded.

Mothflower did as he asked, sniffing each cat. Most of the cats were rogue cats. When she looked up from her dead rogue her heart flipped when she saw a familiar brown-and-white pelt nearby.

"Splashpaw!" Mothflower hurried over. "Lionstar, I found Splashpaw!" She covered the unmoving apprentice's face with licks as her father came over, desperately trying to revive him. Soon he raised his head.

"Mothpaw…?" he mewed weakly.

"It's Mothflower now," she meowed. "Thank StarClan you're alive!"

"Did…did we win?" he asked.

"Yes, Splashpaw. We won."

"Good," he replied. He lowered his head.

"Is he dead?" Mothflower gasped.

"No," Lionstar reassured her. "Look, he's still breathing. Can you take him back to camp?" He had a knowing glint his eye. What did he know? Mothflower gently grasped his scruff in her jaws and carried him back to camp.

In the medicine den he woke back up. "My leg hurts so bad!" he groaned.

Iceberry went over to sniff it. "It's dislocated. I can put it back, but it will hurt. Mosspaw, get some poppy seeds."

Splashpaw lapped up the poppy seeds, and soon his eyelids drooped. Mothflower stayed by his head while Iceberry took his leg in her teeth. She pushed it in hard and Splashpaw jerked his body and screeched as it clicked back in.

"How does it feel?" Mosspaw asked.

"It doesn't hurt so much," he answered sleepily.

"Sleep now," Iceberry meowed. Mosspaw already had arranged a nest of moss underneath him, and soon his breathing slowed.

"He's asleep now. Mothflower, shouldn't you be sitting vigil?" Iceberry asked.

"Oh no!" Mothflower mewed. "I'm going!" She raced out of the medicine den and took her place beside her brother. She kept her ears pricked for any noises. She sniffed the air, aware of a cool breeze foretelling leaf-fall. Although she was keeping watch, inside she was overjoyed. Those long moons of training had paid off. Finally, she was a warrior!


	10. Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

It had been a moon since the battle, and everyone was healing well. Falconpelt had been found, but he had been barely alive. He had died soon after he was brought back to camp. Floodfang was now deputy. Soon after that Iceberry and Mosspaw had traveled to the Moonriver on the half-moon, and Mosspaw had received her full name: Mossleaf. She still hadn't delivered her first litter of kits without Iceberry, though.

"Robinheart's kitting!" The cry went up. But the cat who padded out of the medicine den was not Iceberry, but Mossleaf. She had some leaves in her jaws. She quickly entered the nursery. Pinetail was pacing outside, and Mossleaf snapped, "Pacing isn't going to help. Go hunt or something. Make yourself useful." Pinetail stared in surprise at Mossleaf, who vanished into the nursery. Mothflower was startled. Mossleaf rarely snapped at anyone. She must be really nervous.

"Mothflower!" It was Floodfang. "You're on a hunting patrol!"

"Can I come too?" Splashpaw burst out of the medicine den. "My leg feels better, really!"

"Sorry, Splashpaw." Iceberry mewed from inside. "You aren't going any farther than the dirtplace until I say you can!" Splashpaw's tail drooped, and he slowly went back into the medicine den.

"I'll bring you back a warm mouse!" Mothflower called to Splashpaw, but he didn't reply.

"You're leading the patrol," Floodfang mewed. "You choose who comes."

"Where should I hunt?" Mothflower asked.

"You choose that, too."

Mothflower spotted Pinetail milling around nearby. "Pinetail, hunting patrol," she called. "Blizzardwing, Blueleaf, Flowerpaw, you're coming too."

Her patrol complete, she padded out of the camp. "Flowerpaw, where do you think the most prey will be?"

"The huge oak tree by the Thunderpath," she replied.

"But prey will be scared away by the monsters," her mentor mewed.

"Oh. How about the beech tree near the BreezeClan border? There are always beechnuts on the ground."

"That's a good idea," meowed Blizzardwing. "Let's go."

"Hang on," Pinetail whispered, flicking his tail toward a rabbit a fox-length away from him. He killed it quickly and buried it so he could come back to it. Then the patrol headed to the beech tree. As soon as they arrived they saw three squirrels.

"Pinetail, Blueleaf, Flowerpaw, hide nearby. On my signal, pounce!" Mothflower mewed quietly. She waited until the three cats were in position, then raised her tail above the bushes. The three cats leapt on the squirrels. Blueleaf and Pinetail killed theirs instantly, but Flowerpaw missed the spine when she bit hers. It squeaked and staggered away toward the bush where Mothflower was hiding. She pounced on it and quickly took its life. Flowerpaw padded up to Blueleaf, tail drooping.

"I messed up!" she meowed.

"Don't worry," Blueleaf mewed to her downcast apprentice. "Even Lionstar missed his mice."

"Really?" Flowerpaw looked up at her mentor. "_Lionstar_ did?"

"Sure! Every cat misses prey every once in a while. At least you got a bite in!" Pinetail meowed.

"Let's get back to camp," Mothflower decided. "That squeak probably scared all the prey away, and the sun is setting."

As they arrived in camp, Dawnpetal came to them with good news.

"Robinheart's had her kits! Two toms and two she-kits."

"That's great!" Pinetail exclaimed. He dropped his rabbit and hared to the nursery to see his mate and kits. Mothflower followed more slowly, placing his rabbit and the squirrel she held on the fresh-kill pile. She took a magpie for herself and settled down to eat it. She plucked the feathers from it after she had eaten and brought them to the nursery.

"Feathers! Thanks, Mothflower!" Pinetail took the feathers and pushed them into the mossy nest below his mate. Mothflower noticed that one kit was red, one brown, one brown and white, and one tabby.

"Did you name them yet?" Mothflower breathed, entranced by the precious bundles.

"The tabby tom is Tigerkit. The brown tom is Mousekit. The brown-and-white she-kit is Larkkit, and the red she-cat is Red..." Pinetail trailed off, lost in memories.

"Redpelt was his littermate," Robinheart explained quietly. "He died of greencough right after you were born."

Mothflower exited the nursery and headed to the warrior's den. The cave was cozy, but Mothflower had no idea where she could sleep.

"Mothflower, there's a nest near me." It was Willowstripe. Mothflower padded toward her and settled down, murmuring her thanks. Exhausted, she fell asleep quickly.


	11. Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

"Mothflower, come here."

It had been two moons since Robinheart had given birth, and she had been eating a vole when Lionstar had called to her. Surprised, she followed him into his den. Floodfang, Willowstripe, Dawnpetal, Mouseclaw, and Russetfang were also there. Willowstripe moved over to make room in the crowded den for her.

"It is time for Nightpaw, Scorchpaw, Brackenpaw, Splashpaw, Sunpaw, and Flowerpaw to have their final assessments. Since so many of them will be assessed at the same time we will have six different cats watch them. You will have Flowerpaw."

"Okay," meowed Mothflower. "When will they be assessed?"

"Very soon," replied Lionstar. "Be ready. Russetfang, you will assess Splashpaw, Willowstripe, watch Sunpaw. Nightpaw will be watched by Floodfang, Dawnpetal will see to Brakenpaw, and Mouseclaw will have Scorchpaw." He waved his tail, dismissing them.

"Dawnpetal, will you go wake the apprentices, please?" asked Floodfang. Dawnpetal hurried to the apprentice's den and came out with them.

"Today are your final assessments!" Floodfang meowed to them. "You are to hunt as much as you can until sunhigh. A cat will be watching you. Now, if you're hungry, get some fresh-kill." All six apprentices headed for the fresh-kill pile. After they ate they headed into the forest and split up. Mothflower shadowed Flowerpaw. Flowerpaw halted almost immediately and started stalking a thrush. It was struggling to pull a worm out of the ground and did not notice the hunter. Flowerpaw lunged when she was close enough and killed it with a swift blow. She buried it to collect it later. Careful to stay in the bushes, she followed Flowerpaw's movements as she pounced on a squirrel. After scraping earth over that, she opened her jaws and scented rabbit. There it was, by a large oak tree. As the apprentice stalked it she accidentally stepped on a twig. It snapped loudly, and the rabbit started to run. Flowerpaw chased it, and Mothflower had to run to follow her. She suddenly stumbled, and waves of pain ran up her leg. She had fallen into a rabbit hole! She sent silent thanks to StarClan that Flowerpaw had killed the rabbit and not kept chasing it. She set her paw carefully on the ground, thankful that it had recovered.

Flowerpaw continued her good progress, catching another squirrel and two mice. By that time the sun was overhead, so Flowerpaw dug up her prey and headed back to camp.

Mothflower reported back to Lionstar on Flowerpaw's excellent hunting skills. After the other apprentices returned Lionstar called a Clan meeting. The six apprentices were behaving like kits out of ecstasy.

"We have six apprentices that are ready to become warriors! I, Lionstar, leader of LightningClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Sunpaw, Nightpaw, Splashpaw, Flowerpaw, Brackenpaw, Scorchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Sunpaw meowed.

"I do," Nightpaw mewed. The other apprentices echoed their mews.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sunpaw, you shall be known as Sunfur. Nightpaw, you shall be known as Nightshade. Flowerpaw, you shall be known as Flowertail. Brackenpaw, you shall be known as Brackenflower. Scorchpaw, you shall be known as Scorchpelt. Splashpaw, you shall be known as Splashheart. StarClan honors all of your abilities, and we welcome you as full members of LightningClan."

"Splashheart! Sunfur! Nightshade! Flowertail! Brackenflower! Scorchpelt!"

"You will sit vigil tonight," Lionstar commanded the new warriors. "Also, I have one more announcement. Stonewhisker, is it your wish to move to the elder's den?"

"It is," Stonewhisker replied.

"Very well. May StarClan grant you many seasons of rest." Stonewhisker padded to the elders, who were sitting outside their den to see the ceremony. Willowtail rasped her tongue over his ear in welcome.

"Now, Floodfang, please organize some patrols." Floodfang nodded and started gathering cats. Mothflower snatched a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile. "Splashheart, are you on a patrol?" she called.

"No, I was just going to get some fresh-kill," he answered.

"You can share with me," she invited. Splashheart accepted her invitation and settled down beside her. Mothflower noticed Waterclaw watching through narrowed eyes. Lowering her head to take another bite, she deliberately avoided Waterclaw's gaze. Splashheart saw Waterclaw watching, too, and he narrowed his eyes right back until Waterclaw looked away.

"Splashheart!" It was Floodfang. "You're on patrol!"

"What about me?" Mothflower asked.

"I need help collecting herbs!" Mossleaf emerged from the medicine den. "I want to collect catmint before the frosts come."

"I'll come!" Mothflower mewed. "I don't have anything to do."

She followed her sister out of camp. "Where are we going?"

"There's a shady spot by a brook. None has been picked all greenleaf, so there's bound to be a lot of catmint. There it is!"

There was a lot of tree cover. A small brook ran downhill and formed a small pool. Catmint was growing abundantly around the small pool. Mossleaf ran over and grabbed a large mouthful. Mothflower did the same, resisting the urge to swallow one of the mouthwatering leaves. They brought the catmint back to camp, then returned to the pool and catmint. They made several trips until sunset. They shared fresh-kill, then Mothflower went to her nest in the warrior's den and fell asleep.

"Want to go hunting with me?" asked Splashheart. It had been two moons since his warrior ceremony, and leaf-fall was fully upon them. It would soon be leaf-bare.

"Sure," mewed Mothflower, pleased that she would be hunting with the brown-and-white warrior. They headed out of camp. Not long after they left Mothflower saw a squirrel, fat from feasting on nuts all leaf-fall. She stalked it, placing her paws down slowly to keep the leaves from crunching beneath her. She pounced and killed it quickly.

"That was a great catch!" Splashheart exclaimed. "You know, you're a really good hunter." He leaned in closer.

Mothflower found herself leaning toward him. "You're not a bad hunter yourself," she mewed.

"It's not only your hunting I admire," Splashheart went on. "I like every part of you." He came closer, pressing his body against her. Usually Mothflower would have shied away, but for some reason she didn't want to. "I…Mothflower, I love you."

Mothflower was startled. She hadn't known about Splashheart's feelings for her. She thought for a bit. "I love you too, Splashheart." She twined his tail with his, and felt a purr rising in her throat. Just then she noticed Waterclaw in the bushes, watching with a look of ultimate fury. Splashheart must have seen him, too, for he disentangled himself from Mothflower and mewed, "Let's keep hunting."

Later they returned to camp laden with fresh-kill. Splashheart shared prey with Mothflower, and they shared tongues before heading to the warrior's den to sleep.


	12. Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

"Robinheart's kits have reached their sixth moon. Redkit, you shall be known as Redpaw. Emberclaw, you will mentor her. Tigerkit, you shall be known as Tigerpaw. Rainclaw will mentor you. Mousekit, you shall be known as Mousepaw and mentored by Floodfang. Larkkit, you shall be known as Larkpaw and mentored by Graynose."

"Redpaw! Tigerpaw! Mousepaw! Larkpaw!"

The meeting adjourned, Mothflower returned to the warrior's den. Before she got there a voice called to her.

"You just took a nap!" Whitefoot called. "Maybe a run in the forest will wake you up. Come join my hunting patrol!"

All Mothflower wanted to do was sleep, but she didn't object. Slowly she followed Whitefoot and the rest of the patrol out of camp. Emberclaw fell behind to show his new apprentice how to hunt. Blueleaf went after a squirrel. Mothflower was left alone with Whitefoot.

"There's a mouse over there," Whitefoot whispered. She flicked her tail. A tail-length from her a wood mouse was nibbling on a seed. Mothflower stalked it, her pawsteps heavy on the forest floor. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan that there were no leaves on the ground between her and the mouse. When she pounced, it was a clumsy pounce. She landed a whisker away from the mouse, which squeaked and disappeared near a tree root. "Mouse dung!" she spat. "I feel like I couldn't catch a mouse if it sat on my paws."

"Don't worry," Whitefoot mewed. "We'll find another mouse for you to catch." Yet the next mouse they found also escaped being prey. Then Blueleaf padded up with Emberclaw and Redpaw. All three cats had prey. Whitefoot had caught a squirrel; only Mothflower had not caught anything. No cat said anything about it, though Redpaw caught her eye and blinked sympathetically. When they returned to camp she took a squirrel and began gulping it down. Then she caught Splashheart's scent; her heart leaped as he padded into camp. He came over and began sharing Mothflower's squirrel.

"How was hunting?" he mewed.

"Terrible! I didn't catch a thing!"

"Well, leaf-bare is almost here. It's not your fault if you couldn't find any prey." He took a large bite of squirrel.

"Oh, it's not that I couldn't _find_ anything. I missed both of the mice I found!" Mothflower sighed despairingly. "What happened?" Splashheart stroked her back with his tail. The touch of his fur soothed her, and she pressed close to him.

After they finished the squirrel Mothflower was about to head to the warrior's den with Splashheart when Mossleaf called to her. She was eating a mouse. "You go on ahead," she told Splashheart. "I'll come after I talk to Mossleaf." She headed to her sister, who offered her some of the mouse. "No thanks, I just ate," mewed Mothflower.

"What's wrong?" Mossleaf asked. While Mossleaf finished her mouse Mothflower told the story of her disastrous hunting. When she had finished Mossleaf meowed, "I think I know what's wrong, but you'll have to come with me so I can be sure." She followed her sister, realizing with a jolt that she was taking her to the medicine den. "I'm not sick, am I?" Mothflower asked worriedly.

"I doubt it," Mossleaf replied. "Iceberry!" she called as they came in. "I need you to check something." She went to her mentor and spoke to her in hushed tones. Iceberry came over, her paws sticky with a poultice, and sniffed and poked Mothflower all over.

"Mossleaf, you were right," she mewed to her apprentice when her examination was through.

"Right about what?" Mothflower meowed, bewildered.

Iceberry took a deep breath. "Mothflower, you're expecting kits."

Mothflower was so shocked she didn't know what to think. Expecting kits! Mossleaf had not lost her tongue. "Who's the father? I think it's Splashheart. Every cat in the Clan knows how you feel about him." Mothflower's pelt burned. Was it really that obvious? Then she collected her thoughts.

"The father is Splashheart," she mewed. "I'll go tell him."

"And I'll go tell Lionstar that you will not be doing your warrior duties," meowed Iceberry. She came out of the den, followed by Mothflower. She already had a plan. First she would tell Splashheart, then Emberclaw, then Lilyheart, Blizzardwing, and Robinheart. That would be enough cats to spread the news around the camp. She found all of the cats easily, gathering them together to tell them.

"I'm expecting kits," she told them. Splashheart was very pleased, as were Blizzardwing, Robinheart, and Lilyheart. Emberclaw had been woken up from a nap and just muttered his congratulations; Mothflower suspected that was typical of toms.

That night she settled into her new nest in the nursery; despite her soft nest, the nursery was empty and lonely. She managed to fall asleep only after a long while.

A few moons after finding out she was expecting kits she padded out to get fresh-kill one frosty morning when Blizzardwing hurtled up to her.

"Mothflower, you are going to be so happy!"

"What? What is it?" she mewed, sifting through the pile.

"You're not going to be the only queen in the nursery anymore!"

Mothflower stared at her, mouth agape. "You mean you are…?"

Blizzardwing seemed that she was about to burst with happiness. "I'm going to have Twigwhisker's kits!"

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" she purred. "I'll show you a nest. I'm done my fresh-kill, anyway." As the friends padded to the nursery Mothflower realized she should have expected this. Twigwhisker had been mooning over Blizzardwing for a long time now. As Blizzardwing settled into the soft nest Mothflower exited the nursery. "I'm going for a walk."

"You better take a warrior or two with you," Blizzardwing called. "If you get attacked by anything you won't have to fight." Mothflower flicked her tail to acknowledge that she had heard and went to find Splashheart and another cat.

"Splashheart." She poked the sleeping tom with a paw. "Splashheart!"

"What? What?" He leaped up, pelt bristling. "Badgers? Dogs?"

"No, you silly furball," Mothflower mewed. "I want to take a walk with a warrior escort." Splashheart agreed, and soon Mothflower was leading Willowfern and her mate out of camp. She fluffed up her fur against the cold wind buffeting her fur. She narrowed her eyes against the breeze.

"Brr!" Willowfern shivered. "Why would a cat want to be out in this?"

"Because that cat has been cooped up in camp for moons!" Mothflower called back.

They headed deeper into the cold forest. Suddenly Willowfern yowled, "Stop!" Splashheart and Mothflower came to a skidding halt.

"What? What's wrong?" Splashheart growled, unsheathing his claws.

"Twolegs," Willowfern mewed. Sure enough, the scent of Twolegs was heavy on the air. "There are two of them." She crept slowly ahead. Splashheart followed, with Mothflower right behind. Willowfern peered over a bush. Splashheart pushed past her and let out a gasp of surprise. Mothflower looked and could not believe her eyes: two large pink creatures with fur on the tops of their heads. They walked on their hindlegs. One of them was much shorter than the other.

"Those are Twolegs," Willowfern mewed quietly. "That little one is a Twoleg kit. Most of them like cats. The big one is a male Twoleg. We should—"

Suddenly the Twoleg kit squealed and stomped toward the bushes where the three cats were. It shook the bush violently, sending Mothflower rolling tail over whiskers out into the clearing where the Twolegs were. The Twoleg kit picked up Mothflower, squashing her tender belly. She yowled in pain and felt the kits inside her squirm.

"Mothflower!" screeched Splashheart. He raced toward the Twoleg kit, claws extended, but Willowfern stopped him. "Wait! It's just a kit. Do it this way." She brushed her body against the kit and meowed. Splashheart followed her example, and it dropped Mothflower to stroke Splashheart and Willowfern. Just then the male Twoleg yowled and the little Twoleg ran off.

"That was close!" Splashheart mewed. "Willowfern, thanks for saving Mothflower. But if you ever tell a cat I acted like a kittypet…"

"Let's get back to camp," Willowfern meowed. "Mothflower looks tired."

It was true. Mothflower was exhausted. All she wanted now was a bit of fresh-kill and a long snooze.

A half moon after Blizzardwing came to the nursery and Mothflower got assaulted by Twolegs, another cat moved to the nursery. Flameflower had discovered that she was expecting Mouseclaw's kits. Leaf-bare was fully upon them. By now Mothflower was ready to have her kits at any time. Splashheart brought her fresh-kill and water. She was so big she would only leave the nursery for a Clan meeting, to use the dirtplace, or an emergency. She was clueless about what would happen when she gave birth. She was totally unprepared for that cold morning.

She had awoken as usual. Her kits were particularly fidgety, and it was freezing out, so she stayed in the nursery. As always, Splashheart had brought food and water. She had begun to doze off when spasms jolted her awake. She screeched in pain. She was sure the kits were coming. Flameflower went to get Iceberry and Mossleaf.

Spasms tormented her until sunhigh. At sunhigh they strengthened.

"Mothflower, you need to help your body push the kits out," mewed Mossleaf. "Push…now!" Mothflower screeched as her flank rippled. Soon a small wet bundle plopped onto the moss.

"A tom," Iceberry announced after licking it and tucking it into the curve of her belly. "Another kit is coming."

Another kit fell onto the moss. "This one is a she-kit," mewed Mossleaf. "There is one more." Mothflower strained, then flopped, panting, onto the moss. "Another she-kit!" declared Mossleaf. "Two she-kits and a tom. Here, eat this borage." She pushed some leaves to Mothflower. Mothflower swallowed the bitter leaves and drank some water from moss. She smelled her kits' lovely scents. They were perfect. She drifted into sleep.

The next day cats crowded the nursery to see the new kits. The first was Splashheart.

"What shall we name them?" he asked. The tom had white-blue fur. One of the she-cats was silver, and the other a light gray-blue she-kit.

"I want the tom to be named Hailkit," he mewed.

"Can the silver she-kit be Featherkit?" Mothflower meowed. "And what about Mistkit for the light blue one?"

"Hailkit, Featherkit, and Mistkit. Welcome to LightningClan," Splashheart addressed his kits.

Mossleaf padded in with more borage. Mothflower swallowed the leaves while Splashheart introduced the kits.

"Mossleaf! Come quickly! Lionstar has greencough, and Iceberry wants you in his den." Lilyheart had come to see her daughter's kits and had passed on the message. Mossleaf hurried out. Mothflower caught Lilyheart's whispered words to her daughter: "He didn't warn us soon enough. He only has two lives left. Once he loses this one, he will only have one left."


	13. Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A quarter moon passed, and Mothflower's kits opened their eyes. All of the kits had blue eyes. Lionstar had lost a life. The greencough had weakened him a lot. If he caught it again he would be on his way to StarClan. Willowtail and Whitewhisker had also caught greencough, but they were recovering well.

One morning Blizzardwing began kitting. She gave birth to three kits: a white tom named Sleetkit, a golden brown tabby tom named Adderkit, and a brown-and-white she-kit named Blossomkit. Sleetkit had blue eyes, Adderkit had amber, and Blossomkit had green.

"Mothflower! Wake up!" The squeak of a kit woke Mothflower one morning when the kits were a moon old.

"What is it, Mistkit?"

"It smells different outside."

Mothflower sniffed. "That's snowmelt. Newleaf is coming! It will be warmer then! You can go out and play with Blizzardwing's kits.

"Yes!" Mistkit poked her littermates. "Wake up! We can go outside!"

The kits scampered out with squeals of delight. Their mothers flowed more slowly. They were watching their kits play when a mournful yowl stopped the kits dead. Floodfang was at the entrance to the camp. In his jaws was a mangled body. In horror Mothflower recognized the body of her father, Lionstar.

Floodfang dropped his body in the middle of the clearing. "He was chasing BreezeClan warriors off of LightningClan territory. He was hit by a monster on the Thunderpath. He is with StarClan now. I must go to the Moonriver tonight to receive my nine lives from StarClan." He pressed his nose into his leader's pelt. Mothflower left her kits with Blizzardwing and went to mourn for her father. Pushing her nose into his pelt, she remembered how loving he had been, how great of a leader…

She sat there for a while. She finally got up to feed her kits, eat some fresh-kill, and sleep.

"Mothflower! Floodfang's back!" Featherkit mewled the next morning.

Mothflower sat up and stretched. She padded out of the nursery. Lionstar's body was already buried.

"StarClan have given me nine lives. I am Floodstar now. I am going to appoint a deputy."

Mothflower held her breath. Who would it be?

"Can I be deputy?"

It was Hailkit! "No, you're too young!"Mothflower scolded.

"Pebblewhisker will be deputy of LightningClan."

Pebblewhisker looked up, shocked. "I will serve my Clan to the best of my ability."

"I also have one more thing to do. Four apprentices are ready to be warriors." Redpaw, Tigerpaw, Mousepaw, and Larkpaw exchanged a glance of pure delight. Mothflower was pleased; the apprentices were very nice, Larkpaw and Redpaw in particular.

"I, Floodstar, leader of LightningClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Larkpaw, Redpaw, Tigerpaw, Mousepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" Larkpaw answered enthusiastically.

"I do," Mousepaw replied sincerely.

"I do," Tigerpaw meowed.

"I do," mewed Redpaw softly.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Larkpaw, you shall be known as Larkwing. StarClan honors your capability and your compassion, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Mousepaw, you shall be known as Mousefrost. StarClan honors your battle skills and your determination, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Tigerpaw, you shall be known as Tigerstripe. StarClan honors your loyalty and your fighting abilities, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Redpaw, you shall be known as Redbriar. StarClan honors your gentleness and your kindness, and we welcome you as a full member of LightningClan."

"Tigerstripe! Mousefrost! Larkwing! Redbriar!"

"You will sit vigil tonight." The cats broke up.

"Kits! Get away now!"

Mothflower glanced over. Mossleaf was barring the entrance to the medicine den with her tail. Blizzardwing's and Mothflower's kits were standing at the entrance, trying to get in the medicine den. Mothflower hurried over.

"Kits, let's go back to the nursery," she mewed. "You can't go there now."

"Yes, let's!" mewled Adderkit. "I'm hungry!" He trotted off, leaving the rest of the kits scrambling to follow. Mothflower's whiskers twitched. Adderkit reminded her of Emberclaw when he was a kit.

That night she dreamed. She was in a grassy field. Although it wasn't greenleaf the sun shone brightly. She jumped when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she barely believed her eyes.

"L-Lionstar?" She sniffed. It was definitely Lionstar. "But—you—but…" Then she noticed starshine in his fur. "You came to visit me from StarClan!"

Lionstar nodded. "I come with a message from StarClan," he meowed. The familiarity of his mew made her choke up. He must have sensed it, because he mewed, "I know you are glad to see me, but this is a dream. When you wake up I will not be there."

"What is the message?" she asked.

_"Beware the frog in the stream that will bring destruction to the whole forest. Only the moth in the meadow can save the Clans."_

Suddenly Mothflower felt as if she was drowning. She was battered by frogs that left stinging welts on her. She choked on a mouthful of water. She saw Lionstar fading. "No! No! Don't go!"

"Mothflower! Wake up!"

Mothflower opened her eyes. Blizzardwing was over her. "You were thrashing and yowling in your sleep! Are you okay?"

"Just…a bad dream," she muttered.

"Well…" Blizzardwing looked doubtful. "I'm going to get some fresh-kill. You want some?"

"Sure," Mothflower replied absently. The prophecy still echoed in her ears. How could a frog destroy a forest? And what did a meadow and a moth do with it?

"Mothflower!"

Mothflower jumped. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed that Blizzardwing was still talking to her.

"I said, do you want to share a rabbit or a thrush?"

"Uh…thrush." She didn't really care now.

"Mothflower? Is something wrong?"

Hesitantly, Mothflower began, "I had a dream."

"What kind of dream?"

"I dreamt that Lionstar came to me. He had stars in his fur and he said—"

"That's mouse-brained! You probably just had too much fresh-kill last night."

"O-Okay." Her friend's words made sense, but she couldn't shake a feeling of foreboding. She felt as if something in the dream was familiar, but she couldn't remember what. Something about moths in meadows…she had dreamt that before!


	14. Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER TWELVE

"From this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Hailpaw. Whitefoot will be your mentor."

"Hailpaw! Mistpaw! Featherpaw!"

Mothflower led the chorus, cheering for her kits. The five moons had passed quickly. Greenleaf was almost here. Mistpaw had Redbriar for a mentor, and Featherpaw had Graynose. Flameflower had given birth to four healthy kits: a light brown tom with darker flecks named Dustkit, a pale brown tom named Quickkit, a pale gold she-kit named Morningkit, and a light brown tom named Swiftkit. They were outside the nursery now, gazing enviously at their old denmates.

"Why can't we be apprentices, too?" Dustkit mewled to his mother.

"I told you, you're not old enough," Flameflower replied. She spoke patiently, but her annoyance showed in her twitching tail-tip. It was clear that they had been questioning her all morning.

"But we're ready!" Swiftkit protested.

"Not, now, kits," rumbled Mouseclaw, padding up to his tormented mate after the ceremony was over.

"Mothflower!" Mossleaf had appeared behind her. "If you have nothing to do, will you help me find Iceberry? I haven't seen her all morning."

Mothflower followed her sister out of camp.

"Last night Iceberry told me she was going to collect watermint. The best place for watermint is by the StreamClan border. She should have returned by morning, but she was still gone. I was too busy to go look for her right away."

"Did you check in the camp?" Mothflower asked.

"I checked everywhere," Mossleaf replied. "There's the border!"

Mothflower scanned the riverbank. There were huge clumps of watermint. Some of the clumps had leaves bitten off. Iceberry was nowhere to be seen. Mothflower scented the air; she smelled watermint, Mossleaf, StreamClan, Iceberry, and something else.

"Mossleaf! I smell rogues!" she called to her brown-and-white littermate. "There wasn't a fight, though, or else we would see torn fur or something."

"I found blood!" Mossleaf cried. "It's Iceberry's!"

Mothflower hurried over to Mossleaf. Sure enough, blood was splattered on the ground near a large growth of watermint. Looking closely, Mothflower noticed pawprints facing the watermint right beside it.

"Iceberry was standing here," she mewed. "The rogues snuck up behind her and clawed her. And," she continued, pointing with her muzzle at a spot where the mud was smoothed out, "they dragged her away."

"Wouldn't she have scented them?" Mossleaf questioned.

"She had her nose in watermint. Would you be able to scent much if you had your nose in watermint?"

"No," Mossleaf admitted grudgingly. "But where were the rogues taking her?"

Mothflower didn't reply. She had noticed a small form on the other side of the stream. It moved closer, and Mothflower discerned a small black StreamClan apprentice. The apprentice slid silently into the water on a faraway spot. He swam across the river and landed on LightningClan territory. Then he began to slink off into the trees.

"Hey! You!" Mothflower called. The little apprentice jumped and whirled around, trying to look in every direction at once through wide green eyes. Then he noticed the gold warrior and the LightningClan medicine cat blocking the way back to his territory. He had nowhere to run. He crept up to them, and Mothflower began to question him.

"What were you doing on our territory? And who are you, anyway?"

The apprentice stared up at her with a terrified expression. He opened his mouth and made a croaking noise in his throat. Mothflower could tell that he was scared out of his wits. After a bit he mewed hoarsely, "Reedpaw."

"So you're Reedpaw?" Mossleaf meowed. The apprentice nodded vigorously. "Do you know what borders are?"

Reedpaw's temper flared. "Of course I do!"

"Well, why did you cross ours?" Mothflower growled. The apprentice flinched, and Mossleaf whispered to her, "Go easy on him. He looks as if he thinks we'll eat him."

In a kinder voice, Mothflower inquired, "Why did you cross the LightningClan border? And where is your mentor?"

At the mention of his mentor Reedpaw began to spill out all the information he knew.

"Frogclaw's my mentor. He went missing last night and Freezestar sent cats to the other Clans to see if they saw him." He paused for breath, and in that pause Mossleaf exclaimed, "_Freezestar? _What happened to Troutstar?"

"He lost his ninth life battling rogues," Reedpaw explained. "Have you seen Frogclaw?"

"No," Mossleaf mewed. "How recently was Troutstar killed by rogues?"

"Last night."

Mossleaf exchanged an astonished glance with Mothflower. "That's when Iceberry disappeared!"

"Iceberry disappeared?" Reedpaw mewed.

"Yes, last night. She was attacked and taken by rogues here."

"I think those may have some connection to my Clan getting attacked by rogues last night. Could I speak to Floodstar?"

"We'll take you to our camp," Mothflower mewed. As she led the apprentice away from the border Mossleaf hurriedly bit off some stalks of watermint and followed. They didn't even return to the trees when Reedpaw halted abruptly, tail fluffed up.

"You lied to me!" he growled at Mothflower. Taken aback, Mothflower meowed, "What?"

"You lied to me!" he repeated. "I just scented Frogclaw by the border! You saw him, and you lied to me!" Behind her, Mossleaf dropped her watermint and padded quickly up to the fuming apprentice.

"Remember, LightningClan cats don't know the scents of specific cats from other Clans," she mewed.

"But—" he started angrily.

"Tell me the names of the cats that passed here," she meowed. Mothflower breathed in and scented Pebblewhisker, Willowfern, and Sparrowflight. They had been the dawn patrol.

"I…I don't know," he admitted.

"Mothflower, do you know the cats?"

"Pebblewhisker, Willowfern, Sparrowflight," she replied promptly.

"See?" Mossleaf mewed. "We didn't know Frogclaw had been here." She gave Reedpaw time to think about that while she retrieved her watermint.

"Okay, I believe you," he mewed when she returned. "Sorry about that." He seemed embarrassed to have accused them.

"Let's head to camp," Mothflower meowed, dismissing his mistake with a flick of her tail.

The cats in the camp showed mixed feelings about the StreamClan apprentice in the camp.

"He's probably preparing for an ambush!" Willowtail growled, swiping a paw at Reedpaw.

"Maybe he needs our help," Featherpaw mewed.

"Maybe he doesn't!" Waterclaw retorted. "Let's just shred him now!" He sprang on Reedpaw, claws unsheathed.

"Stop!" Morningkit squealed. She pounced on the larger cat, only to be squashed to the ground. "Help!"

"Waterclaw!"

Floodstar was on the Tallstone, glowering at Waterclaw. Waterclaw and Reedpaw broke apart. Waterclaw was covered in sand, while Reedpaw was bleeding from several scratches down his sides.

"You attacked an apprentice from another Clan with no good reason! And, I might add, you almost killed a kit!"

Alarmed, the whole of LightningClan glanced at the small form crushed into the dust. Her paws trembled, and she let out a faint moan.

"My kit! My kit!" Flameflower rushed to Morningkit and took her from the dust. She licked her kit fiercely, trying to revive her. "Mossleaf!"

Mossleaf was by her in a heartbeat, sniffing the kit all over. Mothflower had to look hard to see the tiny flank rise and fall.

"She'll be okay," Mossleaf mewed at last. "I'm going to keep her in the medicine den for a few days, though."

"Since when were you the medicine cat?" Waterclaw challenged. Mossleaf flinched.

"I am Iceberry's apprentice. Iceberry was attacked by rogues on the StreamClan border last night. The rogues took her away. I don't know where she is now." Startled gasps rippled through the gathered cats.

"I have a story to tell, too. That's why I came here." Reedpaw told the story of the rogue battle, the new leader, and Frogclaw missing. When he finished, Floodstar looked thoughtful.

"We found Frogclaw in LightningClan territory once," he mused. "He was talking to a rogue then."

"What? That proves it!" Reedpaw exclaimed. Immediately he slapped his tail over his mouth, mumbling, "Oops. I wasn't supposed to talk about that," through a mouthful of black fur.

"Proves what?" Floodstar mewed, suddenly interested. "What weren't you supposed to talk about?"

"It's a secret," came Reedpaw's muffled mew. "Can't tell you."

"Is it about Frogclaw?" Floodstar guessed. "I'm pretty sure he's your mentor." When Reedpaw hesitated, Floodstar added persuasively, "I'm not asking you to tell me what it is; I'm asking if it's about Frogclaw."

Reedpaw waited a moment longer, then mewed, "Yes. It's about Frogclaw."

"I am sorry to hear about Troutstar's death," Floodstar meowed, changing the subject. "Freezestar will be a fine leader. Do you have any other business with LightningClan?"

"Nope," Reedpaw answered.

"Would you like some herbs for your scratches?" Floodstar asked. "I'm sure they sting."

The apprentice blinked gratefully at him. "If you can spare any, please." Then a worried expression crossed his face. "Isn't Mossleaf busy?"

"Morningkit's fine for now," Mossleaf mewed, appearing from the medicine den. "We have plenty of what you need." She led Reedpaw to her den. He came out soon afterward with strong-smelling poultices on his scratches.

"Willowfern, Redbriar, escort Reedpaw to the border," Floodstar instructed. After the she-cats and the black apprentice left he began sending out patrols, some of which were to find Iceberry. He acted as if she was just an adventurous apprentice, but Mothflower felt that his efforts were in vain. She had a feeling that Frogclaw was involved with her disappearance, and that she would never see the white she-cat alive again.


	15. Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

For a half moon Floodstar sent out patrols daily to look for Iceberry. Some cats had already accepted that she was probably dead, but some cats, including Floodstar, thought that she was still alive. The last day that a search patrol was sent out they actually came back with something: Iceberry's body, with a large scratch on the back of her head and rogue scent all over her.

"We found her by the StreamClan border," Pebblewhisker reported sadly. Mossleaf let out a mournful yowl and went to crouch by her former mentor in the center of the clearing. Some other cats that had been close to Iceberry did the same. Mothflower hadn't known her as well, but Iceberry had been wise and a valuable member of LightningClan.

"Mossleaf, you are now LightningClan's medicine cat," Floodstar mewed as he settled by Iceberry's body. "Don't grieve too much, or you won't be able to do your best. She would have wanted that."

"Yes, she would have," Mossleaf replied, her voice thick with emotion.

"Mossleaf!" Featherpaw's voice came from outside the camp entrance. "Help!"

Mossleaf sprang to her paws, abandoning her vigil. Featherpaw entered the camp with Graynose, her eyes wide in fear and her tail fluffed up. Graynose was being supported on both sides by his apprentice and Branchpelt. Branchpelt had a wide scratch down one side. Graynose was bleeding from one shoulder, and blood pooled underneath him from a severe belly wound.

"We got attacked by a badger," Branchpelt panted.

"Get your wounds treated first," Floodstar ordered. "Then you can tell us." Mossleaf rushed to her den to prepare. Featherpaw and Branchpelt helped the barely conscious Graynose to the medicine den.

"We were on patrol," Branchpelt began after Mossleaf had tended to his wounds. "We headed for the large tree with an old fox den in the roots. Featherpaw had scented badger, and we were going to check it out."

"Boy, wasthat mouse-brained!" Sparrowflight exclaimed. He was silenced by a look from Pebblewhisker.

"A badger had moved into the fox den. Right when Featherpaw went to look the badger came out. It lunged at her, and Graynose shielded her. He leaped across the clearing and took the full force of the badger's attack to his belly. Featherpaw was stunned. I helped Graynose fight it. He kept fighting even though he was injured. It put up a pretty good fight. It's still in the old fox den, though." His tale completed, he looked at Floodstar, awaiting a response.

"You shouldn't have tried to fight it," Floodstar meowed. "But at least we know that a badger's in our territory. While you were gone we found Iceberry." He pointed with his tail to her body. Just then Mossleaf came back into the clearing with Featherpaw behind her.

"Graynose is dead," Mossleaf mewed. "He lost too much blood. I tried, but it was too late."

"Iceberry, and now Graynose?" Willowtail cried shrilly. "Has StarClan abandoned us?" At her words cats murmured dubiously, seeming to consider the possibility. But Floodstar did not give up hope so easily.

"Just because two cats die doesn't mean that StarClan has deserted us," Floodstar mewed. His sensibility calmed most of the cats, but a few, including Willowtail, still seemed unsure.

"There is no more business now. Mossleaf, Featherpaw, please bring Graynose's body out. Also, we are going to need another mentor for Featherpaw. Willowfern, you will now be Featherpaw's mentor." Willowfern looked pleased to have her first apprentice. Featherpaw went over to her former mentor's body to sit vigil, and Mothflower retired to the warrior's den.

She dreamt again that night. Mothflower found herself at the Moonriver by the Gathering hollow. She peered into the hollow and saw Frogclaw on the top ledge, speaking to the cats. Mothflower strained her ears but she couldn't hear a word he said. Then cats that were not from any of the Clans began streaming into the hollow. The other three cats on the leader's ledge bent their heads in defeat. The rogue cats began slaughtering the cats that had their jaws open in protest. As the stench of blood filled the air, it was almost covered by the fear-scent of the other cats. Then some rogue cats took the leaders of LightningClan, DarkClan, and BreezeClan and threw them into the Moonriver to drown. With a jolt of horror, Mothflower realized that they would lose one life and be too weak to try to swim and save themselves. Frogclaw still stood on the ledge, silently yowling victory. Then a voice whispered in her ear and a familiar scent wreathed around her.

"I-Iceberry?" she stammered. She turned around and saw the white she-cat, her green eyes full of wisdom.

"Yes," she mewed. "This is the future. Frogstar will take over the forest. Only the moth in the meadow will save the Clans."

There was that prophecy again! "What do you mean, Iceberry?" Mothflower asked. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Iceberry did not answer her question, just touched her nose to Mothflower's golden head. "Farewell, Mothflower. Beware the frog in the stream that will destroy the Clans." Mothflower suddenly felt very tired. Her legs trembled.

"Sleep now," Iceberry mewed.

"No…no!" Mothflower begged helplessly. Then she was waking up in the warrior's den.

She lay awake with her eyes closed for a while. She recalled the prophecy: _Beware the frog in the stream that will bring destruction to the whole forest. Only the moth in the meadow can save the Clans. _Now she knew that the "frog in the stream" was Frogclaw, but what was the "moth in the meadow"? She recalled the dream from when she was an apprentice. The frog had slashed at her face and it had stung as if she had been clawed. Well, that made some sense—his name was Frog_claw._

"I know you're awake! Get up and stop pretending to be asleep!"

Reluctantly Mothflower opened her eyes a slit and saw Emberclaw over her.

"Get up!" he meowed again, prodding her with a sharp claw.

"Ow! Put your claws away! I'm coming!" she mewed irritably. Light streamed in through the brambles at the entrance to the cave, and Mothflower got up and shook herself. "What is it?"

"Floodstar's sending out cats to drive off the badger, and you are one of them." The idea of fightning a badger drove away the memories of her dreams, and she left the den with renewed energy. Floodstar was in the middle of the clearing, and when he saw Mothflower he began to speak.

"Good, you're awake. If you're hungry eat some prey now. We are going to leave soon. I believe Emberclaw has told you what we are going to do."

"Fight the badger?" she guessed. He nodded, and Mothflower grabbed a squirrel and polished it off. Floodstar got together Sparrowflight, Mistpaw, Waterclaw, Russetfang, and Redbriar, and the party set off into the forest. When they neared the badger's set Floodstar stopped them.

"Waterclaw, Russetfang, go by the hole and make noise to lure it out. When it comes out some cats will dash behind it to prevent it from going back into the hole. Redbriar, Mistpaw, Emberclaw, you will do that. The rest of us will fight it. Go, Waterclaw and Russetfang."

The two toms crept into the clearing before the badger's hole. Waterclaw yowled, and Russetfang let out a loud screech. Soon the badger lumbered out, bellowing. Redbriar, Mistpaw, and Emberclaw darted behind it and stood in front of the entrance.

"Attack!" Floodstar caterwauled. He and the other cats leaped out of the bushes. Waterclaw swiped viciously at the badger's face, and it roared in pain. Russetfang jumped high into the air and landed on the badger's back, clawing out pawfuls of its fur. It tried to shake Russetfang off, but the ginger warrior hung on with outstretched claws. While the badger was occupied with Russetfang, Waterclaw and Sparrowflight attacked its face. Overwhelmed, the badger turned to retreat into its set, but Mistpaw, Redbriar, and Emberclaw blocked it. The cats, even the blue apprentice, were a fearful sight, tails lashing and ears back. The badger made a desperate attempt to escape. It swung a massive paw at Redbriar, who was thrown away from where she was guarding the hole. Emberclaw attacked even more ferociously after that, cuffing the badger's ears and clawing its eyes. Finally it gave a roar and retreated into the forest. Floodstar meowed quickly, "Mothflower, Waterclaw, chase it across a border." Mothflower instantly leaped into action, running after the badger with Waterclaw close behind. They didn't stop running until they reached the end of LightningClan territory. A large gorge ran there, with a waterfall. Beyond that was a large field with prickly stems and a Twolegplace. Out of breath, Waterclaw and Mothflower headed back to camp. When they were almost there Waterclaw stopped and faced her.

"Why?" he demanded. "Why him? Why him and not me?"

"Who?" Mothflower asked.

"Splashheart," Waterclaw replied with a cold light in his eyes. "Why did you pick Splashheart over me?" Then his eyes clouded with emotion. "I love you, Mothflower. Why did you choose Splashheart?"Waterclaw dug his claws into the ground.

Mothflower paused. If she used the wrong words this might go badly. "I love him, Waterclaw, and he loves me."

"But _I_ love you, too," Waterclaw argued.

"But I don't feel the same way about you. I hope you realize that," Mothflower attempted.

"Mothflower, I want us to be together!" Waterclaw pleaded.

"Splashheart is the cat for me. I'm sure you'll find a she-cat who is the right cat for you. Please understand. I don't mean you harm."

Waterclaw's tail drooped. "I see that Splashheart is the cat you truly love." He sighed. "I hoped that you would change your mind. I guess not." He padded away in the direction of the camp. Mothflower followed. Floodstar was already there. He had a poultice on his shoulder that smelled strongly of marigold. As she watched, Mossleaf padded out of the medicine den with Mistpaw, Emberclaw, and Sparrowflight.

"Redbriar was hurt pretty badly, Floodstar. I'd like to borrow Mistpaw while she recovers." Then she noticed Waterclaw and Mothflower. "There you are! Let me treat your wounds."

"We chased it beyond LightningClan borders," Waterclaw reported. "It won't dare to settle here again."

Mothflower and Waterclaw followed Mossleaf into the medicine den. She put ointment on Waterclaw's scratches. After he left the brown-and-white medicine cat began treating her sister.

"Someone looks unhappy," she commented as she sifted through the herb store. "What did you do to him?"

"He asked why I picked Splashheart instead of him for a mate."

"What did you say?" Mossleaf mumbled around a mouthful of marigold.

"I told him that Splashheart was the cat for me, and that he would find a she-cat that was right for him." Mothflower gritted her teeth as the marigold juice trickled into her scratches.

"That should do it," Mossleaf mewed. "Mistpaw, are we running low on any herbs?"

"Dock leaves and burdock root, and the juniper berries are stale," she called back. Mothflower left her daughter and sister to the herbs and curled up in her nest in the warrior's den. She took a long time to fall asleep, though.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A half moon passed, and everyone except Redbriar was fully recovered. Mistpaw was still helping Mossleaf. One morning Mothflower was taking a rabbit to the medicine den when she heard excited mews from inside.

"Mossleaf, Mossleaf! I had a dream!" mewed Mistpaw's voice.

"Oh, really? What kind of dream?" asked Mossleaf's mew.

"I dreamt that Iceberry and Graynose told me that this was the path I had to follow."

"Iceberry and Graynose came to you in a dream?" Mossleaf's meow sharpened in interest.

"Yes! They did!"

"Let's go tell Floodstar!" Mossleaf and Mistpaw padded out of the medicine den. "What is it?" Mossleaf mewed at Mothflower.

"Fresh-kill," Mothflower replied.

"Just leave it inside." They padded off. Mothflower dragged the rabbit into the medicine den and left it by Redbriar, who was sleeping. As she exited the den she met up with Mossleaf and Mistpaw.

"Mothflower! Guess what?" Mistpaw bounded up to Mothflower. "I'm going to become Mossleaf's apprentice!"

"That's great, Mistpaw," Mothflower mewed. "Did you tell Floodstar?"

"He's on patrol," Mossleaf replied. "We'll tell him when he gets back."

"Anyone! Come quickly!"Hailpaw screeched from across the clearing. He was bleeding from both ears and a long scratch ran down his side. "BreezeClan invaders!" Mothflower leapt to her feet. Other warriors joined her as she pounded out of the camp. She heard yowls and snarls from up ahead. Bursting out of the trees, she saw Floodstar, Whitefoot, and Emberclaw fighting BreezeClan cats. They were completely outnumbered. With a caterwaul, Mothflower hurled herself into the fighting. Whitefoot was exhausted. She was on the defensive against a tabby tom that Mothflower recognized as Beetlenose. Mothflower dragged Beetlenose off of Whitefoot and cuffed his ears till they bled. He ran off into BreezeClan territory.

"Thanks!" Whitefoot panted. Mothflower nodded and turned around to claw the brown face of Pricklefoot. He growled and swiped at her with paws covered in prickly fur. _That must be how he got his name_, she thought as she batted the paws away. Pricklefoot darted around behind her and raked his claws down her spine. She heard him grunt in satisfaction as blood spurted from the wound. She yowled in agony and jumped up above the sharp claws, leaving Pricklefoot clawing air. Before she landed, Emberclaw expertly flipped Pricklefoot onto his back and drew thorn-sharp claws down Pricklefoot's exposed belly. Mothflower landed and clawed his ears until he hopped up and retreated.

"Thanks for the help!" she mewed to her brother. Then she felt teeth pierce her tail and whirled around, tearing her tail from the jaws of the brown apprentice Sproutpaw. The she-cat's green eyes widened as Mothflower faced her. Sproutpaw extended a paw and slashed Mothflower's muzzle. Blood sprayed into her eyes from the fresh wound, and she snarled and clawed the apprentice's ears. Sproutpaw yowled in pain and scooted under Mothflower's belly. Mothflower jumped high into the air, flipping upside down in midair, and crushed Sproutpaw beneath her. Wailing, Sproutpaw squirmed out from underneath Mothflower and dashed away to the moorland.

"_Stop!_"

Floodstar's commanding yowl silenced the sounds of fighting cats. Standing on a large rock, he surveyed the cats until his gaze fell on one cat in particular.

"Eaglestar, what is the reason for this?"

The brown-and-white leader drew himself up to his full height in the midst of cats. One of his ears was torn and bleeding, but the light of battle sparkled in his eyes.

"BreezeClan needs more territory," Eaglestar snarled at Floodstar. "Give us some of your territory, and we will leave in peace."

Floodstar snorted. "LightningClan has always hunted in the forest. Why does BreezeClan want forest territory now?"

"Twolegs have been stomping all over the territory. They scare the rabbits away." Mothflower looked closer at Eaglestar, and noticed with a jolt how thin he—and all the other BreezeClan cats—were. Mothflower could see every one of Eaglestar's ribs.

"LightningClan will not give up its territory," Floodstar spat. "We will fight for it if we have to." The LightningClan cats yowled their approval.

"Very well." Eaglestar narrowed his eyes. "We need your territory, and if we must fight for it, that is what we will do. BreezeClan, attack!"

Once again the clearing exploded into battle. Mothflower leapt on Gorsewhisker. The light brown tom retaliated with a slash at her side, which she narrowly dodged. Mothflower pinned Gorsewhisker and began to slice open cuts. Then she was dragged off of him suddenly. Hissing in surprise, Mothflower turned around to see the black form of Blackbreeze. The she-cat had come to help her Clanmate! Blackbreeze crouched low. She used her muzzle and unbalanced Mothflower, using a forepaw to claw her as she fell. Mothflower fell onto her side. Quick as lightning, Blackbreeze began attacking Mothflower's belly, opening up a deep gash. Blood gushed out of the wound. Mothflower screeched surrender as pain almost overwhelmed her and staggered into the bushes where Mossleaf and Mistpaw were waiting with herbs. Mothflower flopped onto her side, her belly wound still bleeding heavily.

"Mistpaw, cobwebs," Mossleaf mewed. Her voice was incredibly calm, despite the battle. Fear-scent came off of her in waves, though. Mistpaw returned with cobwebs, her blue eyes wide with shock.

"Will…will she die?" Mistpaw asked.

"Not if I can help it," Mossleaf replied through gritted teeth. "Marigold." Mossleaf began pressing cobwebs onto the wound. Soon the flow of blood stopped. Then she licked marigold juice into the wound.

"Mistpaw, chew up more marigold while I treat the rest of her scratches. Mothflower, how do you feel?"

"Like I just got run over by a monster and rolled in thorns," Mothflower croaked.

"Mistpaw, get me a dried poppy head while you chew." Mistpaw retrieved the poppy head, and Mossleaf shook out five seeds. Mothflower lapped them up. Shortly after a wave of blackness covered her vision and she was asleep.


	17. Chapter Fifteen

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Is she awake?"

"If she isn't, I hope she gets up soon. Floodstar just called a Clan meeting!"

At that, Mothflower opened her eyes. "Clan meeting?" Groggily she rose to her feet and staggered out of the medicine den. The voices she had heard were Mistpaw and some of the other apprentices outside of the medicine den.

"You're awake!" Featherpaw mewed delightedly. "Floodstar just called a Clan meeting."

Mothflower padded away and settled down where she had a good view of the Tallstone. A few more cats entered the clearing, and Floodstar began.

"Cats of LightningClan, we won, as most of you know."

"Those mangy BreezeClan cats won't dare set one paw in LightningClan territory for a long time!" Stonewhisker yowled.

"Pebblewhisker is injured badly, though. I would like Russetfang to stand as deputy until he recovers." Russetfang dipped his head.

"Also, Flameflower's kits have reached their sixth moon." The kits bounced and squealed in delight. "Mothflower, you haven't had an apprentice yet. You will mentor Swiftpaw." Swiftpaw bounded up to Mothflower and she touched noses with her apprentice. Floodstar went on to assign mentors to the others: Applepelt would mentor Dustpaw, Sparrowflight would mentor Morningpaw, and Sunfur would mentor Quickpaw.

"What will we do first?" Swiftpaw asked.

Mothflower thought for a bit. She didn't want her wounds opening up so soon, so she wouldn't do battle training or patrolling yet. "We are going to collect moss." She led Swiftpaw out of camp to a large tree with moss on the roots.

"Extend your claws all the way out," she mewed. "Then slice right at the bottom of the moss. That way, you won't pick up dirt." She demonstrated, slicing off a perfect piece of moss. After a few tries Swiftpaw was removing clumps of moss almost as good as hers.

"That should be enough," Mothflower mewed after a while. Swiftpaw leaned down to grab a piece of moss in his jaws, but Mothflower stopped him. "Do it this way." She tucked some moss under her chin, then grasped some more in her jaws. Swiftpaw's whiskers began to twitch, then stopped when Mothflower shot him a look. He took some moss, too, and they headed back to camp. Swiftpaw dropped his a few times, but picked it up again afterward.

"Where do we put it?" he panted when they arrived in camp.

"In the medicine den," Mothflower replied. "Now, do you want to clear out the elders' bedding now, or after you eat something?"

"I'm not hungry now," he mewed. He darted to the pile of moss and grasped a huge wad in his jaws. Then he trotted to the elder's den. Mothflower got a load and followed him. She dropped the moss and began sifting through the bedding, removing the soiled clumps. Swiftpaw looked at Willowtail and mewed, "Please tell me a story!"

"Focus!" Mothflower warned. She tossed him a bit of moss, and he added it to the nest.

"Okay, I'll tell you about Dogstar." Willowtail settled more comfortably into the bracken. "Dogstar ruled DarkClan when I was an apprentice. He sent elders away from the Clan. He ignored the warrior code. Some of the DarkClan cats ran away from their Clan. Dogstar even treated StarClan as if it was a tale for kittypets!" Swiftpaw dropped his piece of moss and stared wide-eyed at Willowtail. Mothflower pricked her ears but kept working. She hadn't heard this story before.

"What about the other Clans? What did they do about it, Willowtail?" Swiftpaw asked.

"StreamClan and BreezeClan insisted it was none of their concern. Wolfstar, who was the leader before Lionstar, did nothing, but he was wary. When Dogstar started crossing the borders of all the Clans, the other Clans still did nothing, just treated it like an ordinary trespass. But he wasn't just trespassing." Willowtail paused for breath, and in that pause Swiftpaw inquired, "What? What was he doing?"

"You missed a spot," she meowed to the apprentice. He grabbed the soiled moss, and Willowtail continued. "Dogstar was learning the territories of the other Clans. He wanted to take all the territory from them! He joined DarkClan with BreezeClan and StreamClan to make DogClan, ruled by Dogstar alone. He wanted LightningClan to join, too!"

"Did we? Did we?"

"No! Wolfstar sent cats to speak with the leaders of BreezeClan and StreamClan. They didn't like being ruled by the tyrant Dogstar. Wolfstar mounted an attack on DogClan. BreezeClan and StreamClan fought on Wolfstar's side. Wolfstar killed Dogstar, but Dogstar still had a life left. At full strength on his last life, Dogstar killed Wolfstar, who was on his last life. Lionstar—Lionclaw then—was Wolfstar's deputy. He was left in charge of a Clan in the midst of battle. Dogstar knew that when he killed Lionclaw LightningClan would be in chaos and would turn to him for guidance. So Dogstar hurled himself at Lionclaw, intent on killing him. But Dogstar was sure that he would win and had let his guard down. Lionclaw flipped Dogstar upside down mid-pounce and attacked his belly until he died. Since Dogstar had ignored the warrior code he had not appointed a deputy. The DarkClan medicine cat, who had also been driven out with the elders, returned with them and announced that he had been sent a sign from StarClan: a bird with tawny wings. He said that Tawnywing should be leader of DarkClan. DogClan broke up, and Tawnystar is still leader."

"Wow!" Swiftpaw mewed. "Tell another story!"

"No, Swiftpaw," Mothflower meowed. "It's late. We're done here, anyway."

A moon later Pebblewhisker, who had been recovering well, got a sudden, severe infection and died.

"I say these words before the spirit of Pebblewhisker, that StarClan may hear and approve of my choice. Mothflower will be the deputy of LightningClan."

"Yay, Mothflower!" her kits and apprentice cheered.

"Congratulations!" Mossleaf purred. "Though I doubt you'll be leader for a long time yet. Floodstar lost one life in the battle, but he's still got eight more."

"Now, deputy, will you organize some patrols?" Floodstar meowed.

"Uh…Applepelt, you lead a hunting patrol with Nightshade, Redbriar, and Cloudfoot."

"Should we take our apprentices?" Applepelt asked. "It would be good experience for them."

"Yes, you should take your apprentices. Sunfur, take Quickpaw and lead the dusk patrol later. Willowfern, Rainclaw, Waterclaw, you go with him." As the hunting patrol left, she turned to Floodstar and mewed, "Isn't there a Gathering tonight?"

"Yes, there is," Floodstar replied. "Obviously you will be coming. I'm thinking of bringing Moonfoot along. She hasn't been to a Gathering in a while. What do you think?"

"Pinetail drove a fox off of our territory yesterday with Hailpaw and Whitefoot. I think they deserve to come too," Mothflower mewed. Excitement coursed through her at this planning with her leader. She was beginning to enjoy being deputy.

As she clamored up onto the deputy ledge at the Gathering she looked up and felt a jolt of pure horror. Frogclaw was on the leader's ledge, acting as if he had been leader for seasons. When Eaglestar had climbed up he began speaking right away.

"Cats of all Clans, Freezestar was killed by a rogue cat. Each time she lost a life, he waited until she had awoken, then killed her again. I, her deputy, was there, but more rogue cats had me pinned. I have been granted me nine lives and my leader name, Frogstar."

"Frogstar! Frogstar!" Some of the cats below cheered Frogstar's name, but Mothflower could only look on in terror. Was her dream about to come true?

"Besides the unfortunate death of Freezestar, StreamClan has no news," he mewed. He stepped back, allowing Floodstar to speak.

"Pebblewhisker, my deputy, has died. Mothflower is the deputy of LightningClan."

"Mothflower! Mothflower!" As cats welcomed her with cheers, she looked around. Splashheart was looking proudly up at her, while Emberclaw was telling everyone around him that he was related to the deputy. Mothflower's tail curled up in amusement. If his kin got something special, he wanted everyone to know.

Floodstar continued to give news, but Mothflower wasn't listening. A few starry forms had appeared on a small ledge across from the one she was on. Her heart lurched as she recognized the cats.

_Iceberry! Graynose, Pebblewhisker, and Lionstar! Freezestar and…Reedpaw? And who was that gray tom? _They were looking at her with a silent plea. _Do something!_ Mothflower knew they meant Frogstar. _How can I? I don't know what to do!_ At that, all of the cats disappeared except Freezestar, Reedpaw, and the gray tom. He seemed familiar. _Gray fur, green eyes…_

"Does BreezeClan have any news?" Tawnystar mewed, distracting Mothflower from the StarClan cats.

"No," Eaglestar replied. "Just that the rabbits are running and that we have two new warriors: Harepelt and Sproutheart." A brown tom puffed up his chest, and the green-eyed brown she-cat that Mothflower had fought moons ago was also sitting proudly. The leaders hopped off of the ledge, and the deputies behind her pushed around her to get down. Mothflower jumped off and went to go see Blizzardwing. She was talking to a light brown she-cat smelling strongly of DarkClan.

"Hi, Mothflower!" Blizzardwing mewed. "This is Plumleaf from DarkClan."

"Nice to meet you." Plumleaf dipped her head, a gesture that surprised Mothflower. "I hear that you are the LightningClan deputy."

"Y-yes, I am," Mothflower stammered.

"LightningClan! We're leaving!" Floodstar called.

"It was nice meeting you, Plumleaf," Blizzardwing meowed. "Bye!"

"Goodbye!" Plumleaf called back.

As the LightningClan cats trekked home, Mothflower was aware that the starry forms of Reedpaw, Freezestar, and the other cat following her. They stood nearby as Mothflower organized the dawn patrol, and followed her into the warriors' den. As soon as she fell asleep she opened her eyes to see them.

"Hello, Mothflower," Freezestar mewed. "This is Wolfstar of LightningClan. And this is—"

"Reedpaw of StreamClan," Mothflower interrupted. "Since when were you dead?"

"Right before Frogstar became leader I saw him meeting with some rogue cats. After they left, he killed me to keep me quiet."

"That's terrible!" Mothflower gasped.

"My death was a lie, too. He killed me nine times," Freezestar meowed. "And Wolfstar was leader before Lionstar. He was killed by Dogstar."

"Frogstar is the son of Dogstar," Wolfstar told Mothflower. "He knows what his father did, and he wants to make it happen again. Only the moth in the meadow can save everyone."

"I've heard that before, and I still don't know what it means!" Mothflower exclaimed.

"Come. Let me show you something." Freezestar beckoned with her tail for Mothflower to follow. Reedpaw and Wolfstar tagged along. Soon a multicolored field stretched as far as the eye could see. The scent of flowers was heavy on the air.

"A meadow!" Mothflower mewed. Wolfstar padded a bit into the meadow and gently pulled up a yellow, almost golden, flower. Laying it at Mothflower's paws, he told her, "Think carefully and you will find the answer you seek." He touched his nose to her ear, and Mothflower was struggling awake in her nest. The flower Wolfstar had given her was beside her. She laid one paw on it, and was startled at how similar the color was to her pelt. Sudden realization struck her.

"The moth in the meadow," she whispered. "_I'm _the moth in the meadow."


	18. Chapter Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Moons passed, and Frogstar made no apparent move of hostility. Mossleaf had been hit by a monster and died, and Lilyheart had eaten some fresh-kill that gave her a fatal bellyache. Rainclaw, Russetfang, Applepelt, and Dawnpetal had died during leaf-bare. Even Splashheart had been struck down by the greencough. He had still lived to see his kits become warriors: Hailstorm, Featherpool, and Mistlight. Even Firelight's kits were warriors: Morningstream, Quickheart, Dustwhisker, and Swiftfoot. Blizzardwing's kits had been named Sleetfang, Adderheart, and Blossomtail. Mothflower was beginning to think that Frogstar was not going to do anything to LightningClan until one day in leaf-bare. Floodstar had gone hunting alone and had not returned. Mothflower led a patrol out to find him.

He had bloody marks all over his pelt. Floodstar was barely alive, telling Mothflower that Frogstar had done this to him, taking one life after another. Then he had closed his eyes and not opened them again. Greenleaf was upon the forest. Now she was at the Moonriver with Mistlight to receive nine lives from StarClan.

"Drink some of the water," her daughter instructed her. "Then lay down. StarClan will send you to sleep." Mothflower did as she said, lapping up some of the icy water. Then she closed her eyes.

She opened them to find herself in a grassy clearing lit by stars. It was empty except for Mistlight and herself. As she watched, the stars swirled down and grouped into cats.

"Welcome, Mothflower." A voice from nowhere mewed with all the voices of every cat she had ever known. The ranks of cats before her contained some familiar faces: Graynose, Freezestar, and Mossleaf and Lilyheart! Mothflower longed to go to them, but she felt as if she had paws of stone.

First Falconpelt padded up to her. He touched his nose to her head. "With this life I give you tireless energy." Mothflower then had a sensation that she could run forever, take on any enemy, survive anything. Next Floodstar came forward and touched his nose to her head. "With this life I give you courage," he meowed. "Never back down."

Then Iceberry came up to her. "With this life I give you hope. Never lose it." Mothflower saw herself in a dark place with a small light in the distance. _Is that hope? I will keep it in sight, always. _

Reedpaw stretched his head to touch his nose to Mothflower's head. "With this life I give you endurance." Mothflower felt a dull pain that made her grit her teeth. "Endure it," Reedpaw meowed quietly.

The fourth cat was Lionstar! "With this life I give you wisdom," he mewed. "You will know how to use it." Then Lilyheart padded up to her. "With this life I give you love," she told her. Then a pain like a lightning bolt struck her. She clenched her jaw to hold back a yowl. She realized this was the love a mother cat feels for her kits, ready to protect them from anything. Mothflower had felt the same about her own kits—Hailstorm, Featherpool, and Mistlight. She was left panting after receiving that life.

Mothflower's heart leaped when Mossleaf padded up to her. "With this life I give you kindness," Mossleaf mewed. Right after that Pebblewhisker touched his nose to her head. "With this life I give you mentoring," he mewed.

Mothflower was surprised and happy to see the last cat that came in front of her. Splashheart! Splashheart gazed at his former mate with eyes full of love. Mothflower wanted so badly to rub muzzles and twine tails with the cat she had loved.

"Splashheart," Mothflower choked. "Oh, Splashheart, Splashheart…"Splashheart silenced her mews by touching his tail-tip to her mouth. All Mothflower could do was gaze into those green eyes, filled with adoration—and a new wisdom that had not been there before.

"I know you miss me," Splashheart mewed. "I feel your grief prick at your heart. I miss you too, Mothflower." For a heartbeat, his eyes burned with a fierce longing. "I really do." Then he shook his head as if to clear it and the longing in his eyes was gone, though a hint of it remained. "But I know that I can watch you from the stars—and I do. You were meant to be leader of LightningClan, and I know that you can beat Frogstar." Splashheart glanced behind him at some unseen cat, and then turned back to Mothflower. He stepped forward, and Mothflower braced herself for the receiving of her last life. Instead he rubbed his head with Mothflower's, rasping his tongue over her ear. He lifted his head and met Mothflower's gaze with gentle eyes.

"We have a moment," he told her softly. He touched his nose to hers, then rubbed against Mothflower's golden pelt. Purring so hard that she couldn't mew if she tried, Mothflower twined her tail with Splashheart's and they pressed together for a long moment. After what seemed like a lifetime, Splashheart separated himself from her and faced her again. He touched his nose to her head. "With this life I give you the knowledge to do what is right. From now on you are Mothstar, leader of LightningClan."

"Mothstar! Mothstar!" The starry ranks of cats called Mothstar's new name.

"Th-thank you very much," Mothstar mewed. "I promise I will defeat Frogstar or die trying."

"It should probably be the second choice, though!" a voice yowled. In the front of the crowd, Iceberry turned her head and gasped, "No! Oh, no!"

Standing nearby were many different cats, all staring malevolently at the StarClan cats. At the front there was a muscular, broad-shouldered brown tom with a large scar that partly covered one eye.

"My son _will _rule the forest. You and your little prophetic cats can't stop him. Attack, my Dark Forest warriors!"

The cats behind the tom leaped at the StarClan cats, clawing mercilessly. "Dogstar, you will never harm the moth in the meadow!" Wolfstar screeched above the noise.

"I'll find a way!" Dogstar growled back. "And _you!" _He turned his burning amber gaze on Mothstar and Mistlight. "You will be crowfood next, to show that moth how Frogstar will end it!" He unsheathed his claws.

"Go, Mothstar!" Freezestar screeched. Mothstar and Mistlight dashed away on paws propelled by terror. Then she was waking up breathless by the Moonriver.

"Mothstar?" Mistlight puffed. "What was the 'moth in the meadow'?"

"Right after you were born I received a prophecy." Mistlight's eyes widened. "Yes, I, an ordinary warrior, received a prophecy from StarClan. It was: _Beware the frog in the stream that will bring destruction to the whole forest. Only the moth in the meadow can save the Clans. _I found out that the frog in the stream is Frogstar, and that I'm the moth in the meadow." Mothstar felt no need to tell her daughter that she had dreamt this more than once.

"But Dogstar doesn't know that you are the moth in the meadow!" Mistlight declared.

"Let's go back to camp, Mistlight," Mothstar mewed.

At camp Mothstar appointed Acornfur as deputy, much to the delight of Acornfur's apprentice, Blackpaw. She was a senior warrior, and Mothstar admired her knowledge. Mothstar attended her first Gathering as leader a few days later.

Leading her Clan into the Gathering hollow, Mothstar realized that she would be on the leader's ledge from now on. She clamored up the ledge. Greenstar, DarkClan's new leader, dipped her head to Mothstar. Eaglestar moved over to make room for Mothstar. She had never been up here before, and it was a dizzying drop to the ground far below. Cats were chatting and sharing tongues beneath her.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Eaglestar yowled, silencing the murmurs below. "BreezeClan has some sad news: Rabbitfur has died. He ate some bad fresh-kill. Now Heathercloud is BreezeClan's medicine cat. The rabbits are running, but not too fast to catch."

"DarkClan is doing well, but Tawnystar was murdered by some rogue cats. I have appointed Grassfoot as deputy. We chased a badger into LightningClan territory, and Briarpelt has borne kits: Weedkit, Mudkit, and Cedarkit." _Thanks for the badger, Greenstar, _Mothstar thought sarcastically.

Greenstar stepped back. Mothstar twitched her tail nervously. She came forward and began to speak.

"LightningClan has _two_ new litters of kits. Redbriar has Snowkit, Ravenkit, and Firekit. Featherpool has Jaykit, Icekit, Thornkit, and Dovekit." Murmurs of congratulations spread throughout the cats below. "Floodstar died, and I am now leader. Acornfur is my deputy."

"How did Floodstar die?" a StreamClan elder called. "Is there a threat to all four Clans?"

Mothstar took a deep breath. If she told how Floodstar had been killed by Frogstar, all the Clans would be in uproar. "He was killed by a rogue cat," she mewed smoothly. "He was chased out, and your Clans should be safe." That was true enough; Frogstar was so ready to kill that he was almost a rogue. "LightningClan has no other news."

Frogstar stepped forward. "My Clan is thriving. I have some news. Some rogue cats from Twolegplace admire how we warriors live. They will join with StreamClan to form FrogClan! They will share our territory. However, the joining of these cats will mean that FrogClan will be the strongest Clan in the forest. Therefore, if you don't want to be driven out, you must join FrogClan. The leaders of LightningClan, StreamClan, DarkClan, and BreezeClan will rule together alongside the leader of the rogue cats. He has no name, but cats call him…._Agony._"

Astonished gasps and fearful mews almost drowned out his next words, and Frogstar had to raise his voice to be heard. "We have decided that, if the other Clans refuse to join FrogClan, we will kill the leaders and take the cats."

"StarClan won't approve!" a cry shrieked.

"Look at the sky," Frogstar mewed. "Has a cloud covered the moon? Has a storm struck? I think not. StarClan is just a tale for kits to make them too scared to change the forest to how it was meant to be!" Frogstar continued speaking, his voice taking a mocking tone. "If _StarClan _didn't approve, do you think they would have made it _clear_?" He spoke slowly, as if he was explaining hunting to a kit.

"This Gathering is _over_," he spat. "Remember, join—or you will be killed." He leapt off of the leader's ledge and signaled for his bewildered Clan to follow him.

After FrogClan left speculations and terrified meows spread below.

"What shall we do?" Greenstar mewed.

"I'm considering joining FrogClan," Eaglestar admitted.

"You _can't_!" The words were out of Mothstar's mouth before she could stop them. "Don't you see? He just wants to take over everything—just like his father."

"You really think so?" Eaglestar sounded surprised.

"I have a feeling that she is right," Greenstar mewed. "After all, rogue cats would make his Clan stronger. Cats would fear FrogClan—so they would join. Then he would just kill the leaders of the rogues and the other Clans."Her green eyes blazed. "We have to stop him!"

"But how?" Windwillow, the BreezeClan deputy, had overheard the conversation. "FrogClan is huge! It's almost impossible to beat them!"

"This isn't a good place to talk!" Grassfoot called from beside her. "How about we meet somewhere?"

"We could come back here and discuss it in three sunrises," Acornfur suggested. "We should do it in the morning; Frogstar might not risk an attack on any of our Clans early in the day."

"Is it decided?" Eaglestar mewed. "In three sunrises, meet here to decide our next course of action against Frogstar." When none of the leaders or deputies objected, Eaglestar meowed, "Then let us be on our way." He jumped off of the leader's ledge and left the Gathering hollow. Mothstar did the same, calling for her Clan to follow. As soon as the party arrived in camp Mothstar leaped onto the Tallstone.

"Cats of LightningClan, gather beneath the Tallstone to hear what I have to say!"

It did not take long for the cats to assemble, padding sleepily from their dens at her call.

"Some bad things happened at the Gathering tonight. Frogstar has given up his belief in StarClan. He has joined rogues from Twolegplace with StreamClan. He calls his new Clan FrogClan. He demanded that all the other Clans join FrogClan. If we don't, he will kill the leaders and take the cats from the Clan into FrogClan. I and the other leaders suspect he wants to rule the forest. Therefore, I am going to meet with them in three sunrises. I want two warriors on guard duty every night. I would also like someone to teach the kits a few fighting moves. We need to organize a way out for the elders and the queens in case they invade. Unfortunately, there is not any other way out of camp. If any cat knows, please speak up."

"I will teach the kits!" Larkwing called. "Blossomtail will help me."

"I'll go on guard duty," Branchpelt volunteered.

"So will I!" Tigerstripe meowed.

"Mothstar?" Waterclaw meowed from below. "I know a way out. When I was a kit I explored the camp. Behind the nursery is a bush with higher branches. Cats could slip out under the branches."

"Thank you, Waterclaw! Please show the queens and elders the way out. Will you be okay drilling them?" Waterclaw nodded. "Good. This meeting is over." Mothstar hopped off of the Tallstone and headed for her den. It was hollowed out in a rock near the Tallstone. Ferns grew on top of the rock and draped down to shade the entrance. Mothstar padded in and curled up in the nest. Tired, she drifted off into sleep.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Mothstar. It's time."

Acornfur's mew awakened Mothstar three sunrises later. Opening her eyes, she saw the light brown she-cat above her. "We need to meet with the other leaders, remember?"

"Sure I remember," Mothstar grunted. She got up and arched her back, then began licking her flank.

"I already sent out the dawn patrol and a hunting patrol," Acornfur mewed. "I left Cloudfoot in charge of the camp."

"Good choice," Mothstar meowed through a tongueful of fur. "Is there any fresh-kill left?"

Acornfur pricked her ears. "Now there is. The hunting patrol has just returned. I'm going to get something. What about you?"

"I think I'll join you," Mothstar mewed. Acornfur padded out of the den. Mothstar hastily finished grooming herself and brushed past the ferns in the entrance. Acornfur was gulping down a mouse. Mothstar chose one for herself and gobbled it down. After she finished she led her deputy to the Gathering hollow. Sitting by the Moonriver, she did not have long to wait. Greenstar and Grassfoot soon arrived from DarkClan territory, and Eaglestar and Windwillow came almost immediately afterward.

"We are here to discuss—"

"Look! All of the other leaders!" A happy mew interrupted Eaglestar. "One of them is sure to give us help!"

All three leaders and their deputies turned towards FrogClan territory. A group of cats was nearby. In front was a light ginger she-cat. Two elders, a lot of warriors, some apprentices, and three queens.

"Rosewillow!" Mothstar cried. "I remember you! You rescued Brackenflower, Nightshade, and Scorchpelt when they were kits! What are you doing here with all those cats?"

"FrogClan is horrible! The rogues almost never hunt, and when they do they gorge themselves on the fresh-kill _we _caught. Frogstar sent away the medicine cat and the elders. He said that we would be killed if we tried to oppose him, and he didn't hesistate to let us leave."

A white tom behind her with the scent of herbs clinging to his pelt came forward. His eyes were hollow. "StarClan told me that evil would come from within the Clan," he mewed gravely. "I wish I could have seen it before it was too late." He flopped onto his haunches and hung his head, utterly defeated.

"Cloudpelt, don't blame yourself!" A pinkish-brown apprentice behind him darted forward. "You couldn't have known. After all, Frogstar seemed like a good warrior."

"Petalpaw, leave your mentor be." Rosewillow nudged the apprentice back.

"But I worry about him!" Petalpaw wailed. "He has been depressed for days! Can't we do something to help?"

Rosewillow gently rasped her tongue over Petalpaw's ear. The tenderness of the action showed that Rosewillow was Petalpaw's mother. "He just needs time to realize that it isn't his fault." Rosewillow turned back to the leaders. "Frogstar appointed one of the rogues as deputy. He doesn't care if Clan cats leave because the rogues are good fighters—and so many of them! I and the other cats here don't want to become loners. Could we stay with one of your Clans?"

"No Clan except BreezeClan is fast enough to chase rabbits," Eaglestar meowed. "I apologize, but StreamClan cats would not do well in BreezeClan."

"I will allow some of you to stay with DarkClan," Greenstar mewed. "Only a few, though. DarkClan's territory can only support a few more cats. Your medicine cat could come, though. Leafheart is getting old, and she might appreciate some help. She won't fancy having an apprentice around, so Petalpaw should probably part with him. We could also have a few warriors, and an apprentice or two."

"LightningClan would be happy to have StreamClan cats stay with us," Mothstar meowed. "Many of our warriors died during leaf-bare, and it would be possible for extra cats to come."

"Thank you," Rosewillow mewed. "Okay, Sparrowsplash, Patchfire, One-ear, and Puddlepelt, you stay with DarkClan. Patchfire and Puddlepelt, take your apprentices. Cloudpelt, you go with them. The rest of you, we will be staying with LightningClan. Now that that's taken care of, why are all three of you leaders here?"

"We were going to discuss the problem of Frogstar and FrogClan," Eaglestar told her. "We didn't even start before you came. However, we've lingered here far too long. Why don't we return to our own Clans for now?"

"I agree. With Frogstar around, we shouldn't leave our Clans unattended for too long. Goodbye, Eaglestar and Mothstar." Greenstar dipped her head to the two leaders in turn, then led Cloudpelt, One-ear, Puddlepelt, Sparrowsplash, Patchfire, the two apprentices, and her deputy away. Eaglestar headed back to his own territory with Windwillow. Mothstar then brought Acornfur and the StreamClan cats to the camp.

"FrogClan cats?" Adderheart mewed. "What are they doing here?"

"We are no longer FrogClan," Rosewillow murmured.

"Well, then what are they? Loners?" Dustwhisker asked.

"Well, maybe if you listened to Mothstar you'd figure out what they are!" Morningstream told her brother impatiently. Surprised, he looked up at the Tallstone. Mothstar was perched up on it looking at him. Dustwhisker stifled a gasp, straightened his paws, and tried to look attentive. The cats had already emerged from their dens to investigate the StreamClan cats, so Mothstar began to speak.

"These cats have come from FrogClan. Frogstar has favored the rogue cats, so he let the StreamClan cats leave. They are going to stay with us for a while. Petalpaw is going to help Mistlight, and the apprentices are going to train alongside ours. Their visit shouldn't be permanent. They will do their share of hunting and patrols."

"What about our water training?" one of the apprentices, Dewpaw, mewed. Her blue eyes stared at Mothstar pleadingly. "I don't want to be a LightningClan cat!"

"Don't worry." Duckfeather, the pale gray apprentice's mentor, stroked Dewpaw's back with her tail reassuringly. "There might be a creek where we can practice."

"Duckfeather, you are right. We have a small stream in the forest. The apprentices should be able to catch fish and learn water combat there." Duckfeather purred, pleased with herself. "The queens can move to the nursery, and the elders can join ours in their den. StreamClan warriors and apprentices will move to the warriors' and apprentices' dens. Petalpaw, you will be staying in the medicine den. Any questions?" A young light-gray-furred tom tentatively raised his tail.

"M-my Clan isn't good at hunting in the woods," he mewed. "How are we supposed to hunt?"

"Stonepaw is right," his mentor, a white she-cat named Heroncloud, agreed. "We should do our share of filling the fresh-kill pile."

"What if we fished?" a gray she-cat piped up from the middle of the crowd of StreamClan cats. "We know how to do that!"

"Great idea, Ripplepaw!" her brother Stonepaw mewed. "I-if Mothstar approves," he added hastily, glancing at Mothstar.

Mothstar blinked warmly at the siblings. "Sometimes good ideas come from young minds. StreamClan cats can hunt in the less wooded areas and in the stream. Anything else?" When no cat said anything, Mothstar nodded. "Very well. Acornfur, organize some patrols." Mothstar twitched an ear to advise her deputy to put some StreamClan cats on patrol.

"Stormwhisker, lead a patrol on the BreezeClan border. Take Heroncloud, Stonepaw, Blossomtail, and Smokepelt. Sleetfang, lead a patrol on the FrogClan border with Adderheart, Twigwhisker, and…" Acornfur's gaze traveled over the crowd of cats. "…Hailstorm. Sparrowsplash, take some StreamClan cats hunting. Sparrowflight, you go hunting with a patrol also." The cats left, and Acornfur padded up to her leader. "Did I do okay with the patrols?"

"You were great," Mothstar mewed. "Sending Smokepelt on the patrol with the StreamClan cats was a fine idea. He's a senior warrior, and he'll be able to keep an eye on them. Also, it's obviously good not to have any StreamClan cats patrol the FrogClan border. Is something wrong? It's not like you to wonder if you did the right thing."

"I think we all wonder if what we did was right. This sort of thing rarely happens."

"Acornfur, I know you better than you think. What's wrong?" Just then Sparrowsplash padded out of the camp with his hunting patrol, and Acornfur's gaze followed him until his brown tail disappeared into the bramble tunnel at the entrance to the camp. There was hunger in Acornfur's green eyes. "It's him, isn't it? You've had one eye on him ever since you saw him."

Acornfur turned toward Mothstar. "You see everything, don't you? Look, I can't help what I feel, and I especially can't help how I feel about him."

"Just remember that you are the deputy, and that Sparrowsplash is actually StreamClan. If you take him as a mate, you will be breaking the warrior code." Acornfur flinched. "I'm just warning you, Acornfur. You are a great deputy. You can choose between him and leading this Clan someday."

"Mothstar, you don't understand!" Acornfur cried. "He feels the same way about me too. I just know it!"

"Excuse me, Acornfur?" Blackpaw had padded up. "Am I interrupting something? You said you'd have a training session today, but if you're busy…"

"No, we can do it now." Acornfur shook herself and led the black she-cat to the camp entrance. "I'll meet you there. I have something to tell Mothstar."

"Okay!" The white tip of Blackpaw's tail vanished into the bramble tunnel.

"What is it?" Mothstar asked.

"I think Blackpaw is ready to be a warrior."

"She's more than ready," Mothstar agreed. "You train her till sunhigh, then bring her back for her final assessment. If all goes well, she'll be sitting vigil tonight."

"Thank you, Mothstar!" The good news lent Acornfur's paws new energy, and she dashed out of camp. Mothstar headed for the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a plump thrush in her jaws and carried it to a sunny spot. Mothstar took a large mouthful and suddenly felt like she was being watched. With her mouth full of thrush, Mothstar slowly turned her head and met the amber gaze of a ginger-patched white StreamClan kit. The young tom was six moons old, and was staring intently at the LightningClan leader. Mothstar chewed slowly and swallowed, slightly uncomfortable under the watching amber eyes.

"Do you need something?" she asked slowly.

"Can you make me an apprentice?" the kit asked. "Frogstar won't do it."

While Mothstar hesitated, the meow of a queen scolded the small tom. "Gingerkit! Are you bothering Mothstar?"

"Kits will be kits, Grayheart," another queen, dark ginger with green eyes, mewed to the mother of Gingerkit.

"Yes, but _this _kit should be an apprentice, Hollyberry!"Grayheart shot back. "Why Frogstar wouldn't just say a few words and appoint a mentor to him, I don't know. And that goes for my other kits, too!"

"Speaking of your other kits, where are they?" a third voice asked. A heavily pregnant silver queen was chewing on some fresh-kill nearby. "I haven't seen them lately. In fact, I haven't seen any of your kits either, Hollyberry."

"They went to see the new camp!" Gingerkit piped up.

"Mothstar! Mistlight!" a cat shrieked. "Kits are in the medicine den!" Mothstar abandoned her fresh-kill and dashed to the medicine den, and Mistlight appeared from the elders' den. But the tabby warrior Weaselwhisker was quicker. He disappeared inside the medicine den and swept the kits out. Mistlight came to a stop next to them and hovered angrily—and fearfully—over them.

"Did you eat anything?" she growled. "Did you?"

"H-honeykit and Reedkit ate something," a small black kit stammered. "T-they're still in there." Mistlight pushed her way into the medicine den and Mothstar turned quickly to Weaselwhisker. "Make sure they stay there—and ask if any other kit ate anything while you're at it." Weaselwhisker nodded grimly and faced the kits. Mothstar went into the medicine den and saw Mistlight over two kits—one a light gold she-cat and one a black tabby tom. The little she-cat was retching, and Mistlight was speaking quietly to the small tom. As Mothstar neared them she heard some of what he was saying.

"And Honeykit took some of the icky leaves and ate some of them. Then she started being sick and then Weaselwhisker came in." The little kit slumped down in exhaustion and Mistlight turned to her mother.

"Honeykit got into the yarrow, and I think Reedkit ate burdock root. I think Honeykit will recover, and Reedkit will just get a bellyache. Do you know if any other kits ate anything?"

"I don't know. Weaselwhisker is checking now. Where is Petalpaw?"

"What's going on?" The rosy brown apprentice had just padded in. "Great StarClan!" she exclaimed as she saw Honeykit. She rushed over and sniffed the kit. "Yarrow?" she guessed. Mistlight nodded. Right then the little kit let out a feeble moan. Mistlight was by her side in a heartbeat, soothing her with gentle words. The kit relaxed and closed her eyes. Mistlight gave Honeykit one last sniff, and, after instructing Petalpaw to make a nest for the kit, turned to her leader.

"Mothstar, you need to get some rest. You've been up since sunrise, and I bet you haven't eaten much or slept since then." Mothstar opened her mouth to object, then closed it again. Obediently she padded out of the medicine den.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"StarClan honors your loyalty and your kindness. I name you Blackwing." Mothstar touched her head to the newly named Blackwing, and felt the young warrior's tongue rasp her shoulder. Blackwing stepped back, her

"Blackwing! Blackwing!"

"Tonight, you will sit vigil and guard our camp." Mothstar jumped off of the Tallstone, followed by Blackwing. Cats came up to Blackwing to congratulate her. Stonepaw came purring congratulations, but Blackwing just thanked him normally, leaving him dismayed. Mothstar sent a silent prayer of thanks to StarClan that Blackwing didn't like Stonepaw the way he liked her. Mothstar headed to the medicine den to see how Mistlight and her temporary apprentice were faring.

Mistlight was inside the herb store, which was a crevice between two large rocks. A stream that trickled in the crack formed the small pool. Petalpaw was mixing a strong-smelling concoction, and Honeykit was circling restlessly in her mossy nest.

"Can I go back to the nursery yet?" the little she-cat demanded. She looked up as Mothstar entered. "Hi, Mothstar!" Petalpaw glanced briefly up at the kit, then nodded at Mothstar before returning to her mixing.

"There's the juniper berries," Mistlight muttered from inside the herb store. She padded out with her jaws full of purple berries, then dropped them when she saw Mothstar. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on Honeykit. Did you find out if any other kits ate anything?"

"Poolkit and Fernkit ate poppy seeds. They're sleeping them off over there." Mistlight pointed with her tail to a mound of light gray and light blue fur in a nest. Honeykit, curious at the attention directed towards her nursery mates, approached the nest. She reached out a tentative yellow paw and poked the blue fur.

"Go away!" The lump shifted, and Honeykit looked up mischievously.

"Honeykit! Have you been messing with Poolkit and Fernkit again?" Mistlight flicked the kit's ear with her tail. Turning to Mothstar, she mewed, "That naughty little kit has been poking them all day. A cat couldn't get any rest with Honeykit around!"

"Hey!" Honeykit squeaked indignantly. "They're not really asleep!"

"Of course they're not. The poppy seeds have already worn off. Now, eat these." Mistlight pushed two juniper berries toward Honeykit.

"No! They're yucky!" While Honeykit opened her jaws in protest, Petalpaw snatched a juniper berry and crammed it into the golden kit's mouth.

"Eat them," Petalpaw growled. "They will make you feel better." Then she prodded Fernkit. "You two have been asleep long enough!" The apprentice medicine cat grabbed Fernkit by the scruff and plopped her down outside the nest. The light gray kit blinked sleep from her green eyes and shook herself. "You too, Poolkit!" The blue she-kit stumbled sleepily from the moss.

"Can we go back to the nursery?" Fernkit mewled. Mistlight nodded, and the two she-kits scampered off.

"You'd better check on them, Petalpaw, to make sure they actually make it back to the nursery."

"I'll come," Mothstar mewed, and followed Petalpaw out of the medicine den. The small kits' tails vanished into the nursery as Mothstar and Petalpaw entered the clearing. Petalpaw turned around to report to her temporary mentor, and Mothstar headed to the nursery.

The StreamClan queens had settled in well with the LightningClan queens. Hollyberry, Featherpool, and Grayheart had their kits nestled in the curve of their bellies, Moonfoot was quieting some mewling kits, and Minnowlight was talking with Redbriar. The two queens looked up when Mothstar entered.

"Hello, Mothstar!" Moonfoot mewed, and Minnowlight dipped her head.

"Eh? Is someone here? Did they bring fresh-kill?" a queen meowed groggily.

"It's Mothstar, Willowfern." As Mothstar's eyes adjusted to the shade, she discerned Willowfern curled up with her tail protectively around her newborn kits, still blind and with a thin layer of fuzz. They had been born the day after the Gathering.

"I guess the Clan leader wouldn't bring fresh-kill for the queens." Willowfern laughed. "That's an apprentice job."

"Can I get it?" A small gray-white kit scampered up. "I could be an apprentice today!"

"Fogkit, you won't be an apprentice for another two moons," Hollyberry retorted. "Sure, but get the fresh-kill and come straight back!" The tiny tom hurtled out of the nursery.

"So, what are you doing here, Mothstar?" Willowfern gave her a quizzical look. "Last time I checked, you weren't expecting kits."

"Don't worry, I'm not," Mothstar assured her. "I just wanted to check how the StreamClan queens had settled in."

"We're fine," Grayheart replied. "I'd like you to meet my kits: Poolkit, Fernkit, Reedkit, Gingerkit, and Antkit." She touched her tail to the blue she-kit, the light gray she-kit, the black tabby tom, the ginger-and-white kit Mothstar had met earlier, and the black tom sleeping by her.

"I have Berrykit, Mintkit, Honeykit, and Fogkit," Hollyberry mewed, nodding toward the two she-kits at her belly—one a light ginger, one a misty gray.

"Willowfern!" Willowfern's mate, Swiftfoot, was at the nursery entrance with Fogkit. "This kit has been at the fresh-kill pile long enough to memorize every piece of prey there."

"I wanted to get the best fresh-kill for Willowfern!" Fogkit exclaimed.

"Best fresh-kill for Willowfern?" Swiftfoot left the nursery and came back with a plump squirrel. "Here." As his light brown tabby mate took a bite, Swiftfoot asked, "Did you think of any good names for our kits?" The four kits were: a dark gray tom, a beautiful slender silver she-cat, a slim light brown tom with a pelt like his father's, and a light brown tabby she-cat—a mirror of her mother.

"I think Stormkit would be good for the dark gray tom, and Sedgekit for the light brown tom. Do you know what to name the she-cats?"

"Silverkit for the silver she-cat," Willowfern meowed quietly, "and Hazelkit for the light brown tabby."

"There's one thing I just don't understand, Willowfern." Willowfern looked up at her mate. "They're beautiful kits, and I love them, but Sedgekit and Silverkit look—well, they look like BreezeClan cats."

Willowfern started, then relaxed. "Someone has to know," she murmured half to herself. Then she turned to her mate. "Ashcloud, Sparrowflight, and I—we aren't entirely LightningClan. Our father was a brown tabby named Oakflight from BreezeClan. Our mother was Dawnpetal. I have some BreezeClan blood. Please, don't hold it against me—or our kits."

The nursery fell into a stunned silence when Willowfern had finished. Willowfern watched nervously as Swiftfoot thought about this revelation. Then he bent down and licked his mate's ears.

"It wasn't your fault at all. BreezeClan blood or not, you—and our kits—are beautiful."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Swiftfoot!" Willowfern looked very relieved that her mate had accepted this. Then a worried expression crossed her face. "Mothstar, you don't mind, do you?"

"No, I don't mind." Mothstar turned around to leave, mewing, "Goodbye," over her shoulder. Next she headed for the elders' den. The elders were sprawled out in the cave, sleeping or talking. The StreamClan elders, a dark gray tom, and two brown-furred she-cats, were having an intense conversation with Birchfoot and Whitewhisker when Mothstar entered.

"Oh, hello, Mothstar." Birchfoot dipped his head. "Rippletooth was just telling us about the most worst-behaved apprentice he had."

"Rippletooth probably persuaded the apprentice to be naughty so that he could tell stories about it when he was an elder," Stonewhisker snapped from his nest. He sounded irritated, but there was a good-natured gleam in his eyes. "Fallowfur, can you reach my tail? It itches like crazy, and I can't get to it." One of the brown she-cats padded over and examined Stonewhisker's itchy tail, then cracked a flea between her teeth.

"Funny, I thought apprentices checked the elders for fleas," the other brown she-cat rasped teasingly.

"Morningfur, leave her alone." Willowtail twisted her head so she could see the cat from her nest. "Just because she's younger than us doesn't mean you can pick on her. It's true." Willowtail faced Mothstar. "She retired just before they left. Not officially, since Frogstar wouldn't allow it—she just moved to the elders' den."

"How have the StreamClan elders settled in?" Mothstar asked.

"Besides the others bossing Fallowfur around, fine. Rippletooth usually stops them from telling her what to do. Other than that, we are just some happy elders. Now, if you don't need anything else, please leave." Mothstar nodded and left. The patrols had returned and the fresh-kill pile was overflowing. Mothstar selected a chaffinch and sat down beside Larkwing. The brown-and-white she-cat was settling down with a fish in her jaws.

"Oh, hello, Mothstar." Larkwing set down the fish and looked at her leader. "Do you need something?"

"Company. Are you really going to eat that?" Mothstar glanced at the fish. It looked slimy and unappetizing.

Larkwing licked her lips. "I like trying new things." She sunk her teeth into the fish. "Delicious!" she mumbled around her mouthful. "Want to try some?" Larkwing pushed the fish near her leader with a paw. Mothstar swallowed the bite of chaffinch and sniffed the fish. Then she hesitantly took a small piece. The flavor was unlike ever she had ever tasted, not a foresty taste, but of water. She swallowed and took another bite.

"Hey, don't eat all my fish! Actually, you can have the rest of that. I'll have your chaffinch." Larkwing pulled the bird over and began eating before Mothstar could object. Mothstar took another bite of fish to keep from laughing out loud. Larkwing and Blizzardwing had been friends to her before she became leader, but Larkwing, unlike Blizzardwing, seemed to ignore the fact that her friend had gained a very respectable rank. Mothstar finished the rest of the fish and left Larkwing plucking the feathers out of the chaffinch carcass. She headed to her den and curled up in the moss. Sighing, she succumbed to sleep.

She opened her eyes a heartbeat later and found herself in a dark place. There was no scent at all except for her own fear-scent. Mothstar whirled around, looking desperately for something, anything. She was almost panic-stricken when a familiar scent wreathed around her. Mothstar turned around to see her sister. Mossleaf was looking at her lovingly.

"Hello, Mothstar."

"Mossleaf! What in StarClan's name is happening?"

Instead of answering, Mossleaf stepped forward so that she was face-to-face with Mothstar. She touched her nose to Mothstar's and then stepped back.

"Your Clan needs you now," the brown-and-white StarClan cat mewed. "Awaken."

A distant voice meowed, "Mothstar!" Then she was scrabbling in her nest. A small crowd of kits was at the entrance. Mothstar recognized Featherpool's and Redbriar's kits. The small brown tom in the front—Thornkit—called her name again.

"Yes? What is it?" Mothstar got up and arched her back in a stretch.

"FrogClan cats! They're coming to the camp!"

"What? How do you know?"

"We were going to go into the forest," the ginger Firekit began.

"Redbriar and Featherpool were asleep," added Icekit, flicking her white tail in the direction of the nursery. "So we snuck out."

"We got a long way into the forest," Firekit continued. "Then we smelled the same smell of the new cats."

"Not exactly the same smell! They sort of smelled of crowfood!" Dovekit squeaked.

"You don't even know what crowfood smells like," Jaykit retorted. He glared at his fluffy gray sister through blue eyes in a gray tabby head.

"Anyway," Ravenkit picked up the story, "there was that scent. And there were cats."

"Big cats," Snowkit interjected. "Really big cats." She shivered, and Ravenkit pressed his black pelt against her white one in an attempt to comfort her.

"One of them said something like, 'why are we doing this?' and the one in the front said, 'because FrogClan is going to take over the forest, starting with LightningClan'."

"The one in the front was big, too. Not as big as the big ones. He was brown and black," Thornkit put in.

"Frogstar," Mothstar mewed. "Kits, go back to the nursery." When they opened their mouths to protest, Mothstar added, "I need you to protect the queens. Remember the fighting moves that Blossomtail and Larkwing taught you? You'll give FrogClan cats a nasty surprise."

"There's no time to waste!" Firekit declared. "What if we're too late?" He led the other kits out of Mothstar's den. Mothstar hurried out and leapt onto the Tallstone with a single bound. The sun was just rising.

"Everyone! Come out, quickly!" Mothstar twitched her tail impatiently as everyone gathered. "FrogClan is going to attack! Elders, queens, kits, follow Waterclaw and Emberclaw through the secret way out! Emberclaw, Waterclaw, stay with them and guard them! Everyone else, be prepared to fight! Mistlight, Petalpaw, get your herbs ready!" Mothstar hopped off, and the warriors and apprentices formed a line outside the bramble barrier. The forest seemed to be holding its breath. Mothstar stood at the center of the line, not daring to breathe. In the distance, a bird twittered a morning song. Then she heard it. The snap of a twig. The whispered hushes from cat to cat. FrogClan was coming.


	21. Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The LightningClan cats stood silently, absorbing the occasional sign of the coming cats. Then he appeared. Frogstar, his black and brown pelt almost invisible among the forest growth. The big black and white tom behind him was not invisible. Badger. Agony's second in command and his favorite cat. Frogstar stopped. He must have seen the line of cats guarding the camp, for he flicked his tail, and the cats behind him stopped trying to be quiet. Frogstar led the cats up to the line, then stalked up to Mothstar and thrust his muzzle into her face. His breath billowed out in a small cloud, and Mothstar dimly recalled that greenleaf was almost over.

"So," Frogstar spat, "you think you are ready for me."

"We don't think we're ready for you, we are ready for you. LightningClan will never join your Clan. After all, if you want to jointly rule one Clan, why would you name it after yourself? We would die before being ruled by you."

Frogstar made no move to try and defend himself against the accusations. Instead he said, "Very well." He unsheathed his claws, and Mothstar thought he would leap on her right then. Instead he stepped back and waved his tail. Another smaller group of cats came out of the trees, equally as large and muscular as Badger himself. Reinforcements. Frogstar had not come unprepared.

"Now," Frogstar meowed smugly, "we can fight. Attack, FrogClan!"

The small clearing immediately exploded into battle. A black tabby hurled himself at Mothstar, and she stepped to the side to avoid him. She crashed into a giant white she-cat who was clawing Dewpaw. The she-cat looked up and abandoned the small light gray apprentice. The black tabby joined the white cat in wounding Mothstar. The black tom held Mothstar down while the white cat inflicted injury after injury. Dewpaw, bleeding from her back and leg, was about to limp away until she saw how badly Mothstar was faring. She pounced onto the white cat's back and clung on with her claws. That just left the black tabby. Mothstar lashed out at his face while he was still trying to make sense of what just happened. That brought him back to his senses, and he dodged away from Mothstar's claws and darted behind her. Mothstar quickly whirled around and cuffed his ears. The tom yowled and tried to dash behind her again, but he fell back with a startled screech. Dewpaw had her teeth and claws fastened into his tail. This tom wasn't going anywhere. Mothstar wounded him over and over, and the tom howled his surrender. Dewpaw released him, and he scurried away into the fray.

"Thanks, Dewpaw!" Mothstar panted. Dewpaw nodded, turning to claw a cat trying to sneak up on her. Mothstar reminded herself to ask the StreamClan mentors how long their apprentices had been trained. Dewpaw was great in battle. She might be sitting vigil soon.

"You!"

Frogstar's incredulous meow sounded above the noise. Forcing her way through the crowd, Mothstar finally saw Frogstar. He had Sparrowsplash pinned with unsheathed claws planted on his throat.

"You were my supporter! I promised you deputyship! And now you're fighting with them? How could you?"

"I…didn't agree…with what you were doing," Sparrowsplash managed to choke out. "Murdering and lying…if I supported you…I would be as bad as you are."

"I trusted you! I thought you would support me!" Frogstar's tone was rising in pitch.

"I trusted…you too…then your plans became more murderous and deceitful…I couldn't live knowing that I was helping a murderer…so I left."

"I don't believe it!" Then his face twisted into an expression of anger. "You deserve to die." Frogstar dug his claws slowly into Sparrowsplash's throat, looking evilly happy as Sparrowsplash struggled for breath. "Oh, let's not prolong it now, shall we?" Frogstar removed and shook his claws, then dug them harder into Sparrowsplash. Blood welled up around his claws, and a thin line of it began trickling out of Sparrowsplash's mouth. Then Frogstar bent down; Mothstar could just hear the words he whispered to his former supporter. "See you in StarClan, Sparrrowsplash." He tore his claws out and stood back. Sparrowsplash visibly convulsed as he vainly searched for air that wasn't there.

"No!" Acornfur cried. She dashed up to Sparrowsplash and crouched by him. "Don't die, Sparrowsplash! Please!"

"It…is too…late for me…," Sparrowsplash managed to gasp. "Besides…we…couldn't be….together."

Acornfur began gently grooming his brown tabby pelt. "You would have been a good mate," she murmured. "If we had been in the same Clan."

Sparrowsplash moved his mouth as if he was trying to say something, but only a harsh rasping sound came out.

"We will be together in StarClan," she mewed softy. Sparrowsplash let out a long, shuddering sigh, and his flank's rising and falling slowed, then stopped. Acornfur let out a mournful yowl and pushed her nose into his fur. Frogstar looked on contemptuously.

"Foolish cat," he growled, nudging Acornfur roughly away from Sparrowsplash's body. "You know that he helped me now, and he's dead—why would you still love him?"

"He didn't know how bad it was to help you," she mewed. "And he stopped." Acornfur bent down and dragged Sparrowsplash's body into the bramble tunnel. Her gaze was hard when she emerged—she was ready to avenge Sparrowsplash's death.

Mothstar expected Frogstar to yowl "Attack!" again, and she was right. The clearing exploded into battle once again.

A dark gray tom clawed Mothstar's side, and Mothstar boxed his ears. He reared up onto his hind legs, and Mothstar barely dodged as he threw himself down. While he lay stunned Mothstar dealt a vicious blow to his back. Blood spattered Mothstar's golden paws. She half expected the tom to flee, but he didn't give up easily. He heaved himself to his paws and began aiming blow after blow at her face. Mothstar darted in and nipped his foreleg, then got out of his range before he could retailiate. The gray tom growled and tried to get behind Mothstar, but his size decreased his speed. Mothstar gave him a deep side wound as he passed, and the startled tom blundered into Tigerstripe, who had just sent a cat away yowling. The tabby lashed out at the rouge's face with his claws, which were still clogged with bloodstained fur clumps. The gray cat shrieked as one of his eyes began to spout blood, and was gone in a heartbeat. Tigerstripe wiped his bloody claws on the grass and gave Mothstar a quick nod before disappearing into the fighting.

Mothstar glanced around, searching for anyone who needed assistance. Stonepaw and Ripplepaw were nipping a defensive tabby tom; they wouldn't be happy to have her interfere. Willowstripe was attacking Badger with Robinheart by her side; the black-and-white-striped cat was bleeding from multiple wounds that stained his white stripes red, yet he would not give up. The scars dappling his coat showed a history of valiant perseverance such as this. Willowstripe and Robinheart were also injured but they were okay. The cats still held a barrier in front of the camp; as she watched, Sleetfang clouted a black rogue's face and sent it away howling. Pinetail was on his back legs swatting at a tortoiseshell. A mottled brown tom pounced on him; at the same instant Mousefrost leapt forward and dragged the tom off of Pinetail, spitting, "Get off of my father!" Blossomtail was faring badly against two black tabbies. Her tortoiseshell pelt was splotched with blood and she was exhausted. Mothstar hurled herself onto the back of one of Blossomtail's opponents and bit down hard onto one of his ears. Blood spurted out, and Mothstar clawed out clumps of fur from his back. The tom circled vainly, trying to reach Mothstar. Mothstar bit his neck, careful not to go too deep. The wound was enough, though, and the tom shook Mothstar off and fled. Blossomtail was doing a bit better, though she was still on the defensive and her eyes were glazed with pain. The tom growled in satisfaction and lunged to deal a death blow to Blossomtail's neck.

Before he sank his teeth into her throat, a white form shot out of the bushes and bowled over the tom. Blizzardwing! No, this wasn't Blizzardwing. Blizzardwing had blue eyes, while this white she-cat had green eyes. Besides, this one smelled of FrogClan. She had the tom pinned on his belly.

"Never knew when to stop, did you, Dark?" she hissed into his ear. Then she clawed the tom's back fiercely, but got off of him when he started to writhe in pain and let him flee, watching him disappear into the bracken.

"Thanks!" Blossomtail gasped.

"You're welcome. I'm Bright, by the way. But this is no place to talk." An eerie wail suddenly sounded from the camp. Mothstar began padding toward the bramble tunnel, but Bright stepped in front of her. "You're needed here. Let me go instead. I'll gather some cats and check on your queens and elders." Mothstar wasn't sure whether to trust the she-cat, but Bright had saved Blossomtail. Mothstar nodded, and Bright dashed into the fighting. Mothstar looked around again; every cat seemed to be doing okay. Mothstar ran into the camp.

Frogstar and a few of his rogue warriors were in the camp. That wasn't what made Mothstar freeze. It was Moonfoot. The queen had been tossed aside like a piece of fresh-kill. Her limbs were limp and she was bleeding from a neck wound. Her head hung at an awkward angle—her spine had been snapped. She was dead. Frogstar looked at Mothstar when she entered.

"Mothstar. I was just explaining to these cats how I am going to take every Clan and join it with FrogClan. If you won't come voluntarily, I'll take every Clan by force! No one has dared to oppose me!"

"That's where you're wrong, Frogstar!"

Behind Mothstar, Bright had appeared with a group of FrogClan cats. "As long as there is the slightest amount of resistance, there is still a chance that your plan will fail!"

Frogstar spat wordlessly at Bright and the group of FrogClan cats. "I knew you weren't good for life in FrogClan! Stay or go, what do I care? I want only loyal warriors. Judging by what happened with my other warriors, I'd bet every piece of prey I've caught that you will just run to your buddies in LightningClan." He shrugged, and Mothstar caught a hint of fear in his eyes. He was afraid! The additions of the StreamClan and rogue cats to LightningClan might mean that Frogstar had met his match. Frogstar gathered his warriors with a flick of his tail. They bunched around him protectively, but Frogstar shook them off. He padded out of the camp and interrupted the fighting with a deafening caterwaul.

"FrogClan! We have no more business here for now!" Mothstar noticed that he carefully avoided saying 'retreat'; he must not want to aggravate his rogue-warriors. The FrogClan cats departed, spitting insults at the LightningClan cats as they left. Soon the only sign of the battle were the clumps of fur littering the ground, the bloodstained turf, and the occasional body. Mothstar forced herself to her tired paws and raised her voice to address the cats.

"We need to check the cats before we leave, take those who need treatment or burial. If you find a dead FrogClan rogue, bury it. Those rogues have no need for ceremony." Mothstar began sniffing at the nearest body, a rogue. It was already dead, and Mothstar hastily dug a hole and dragged the body into it. She finished scraping earth over it and looked up to see her warriors doing the same. Her heart filled with pride at these exhausted cats doing her command—because they were loyal. It was likely that the FrogClan rogues had not obeyed at first. They were loyal to that cat Agony, not Frogstar. But Frogstar had probably forced the issue. Forced loyalty was no way to live, with threats backing the loyalty. The troublemakers were probably dead. Mothstar glanced up at a cat calling her. Brackenflower was pulling a body that was covered with so much blood that it was almost impossible to recognize it.

"Mothstar. I'm sorry." Then she padded away. Brackenflower was speaking with Blizzardwing, who came over.

"I have some sad news for you. Take a look at this cat." Blizzardwing pushed the body closer. Mothstar lapped some of the blood off of the cat's head. Her heart almost stopped when she figured out its identity. No LightningClan cat had mottled fur this shade of red and brown. Except…

Mothstar's voice was hoarse when she spoke. "Emberclaw."

"Brackenflower told me this news would come better from me." Blizzardwing pushed her muzzle into Mothstar's bloody golden fur in an attempt to comfort her. "He died like a warrior. He was defending the queens and elders when Frogstar came in. He put up quite a fight."

"Waterclaw?" Mothstar rasped.

"Injured pretty badly and emotionally crushed. He keeps blaming himself for the deaths of Moonfoot, Emberclaw, and Birchfoot." Mothstar looked up in shock. "The news didn't get to you yet. If it wasn't for Birchfoot, Waterclaw might be with StarClan. He probably wishes he was, though. He's taking it pretty hard."

"I'll go see him." Mothstar began to rise, but Blizzardwing stopped her.

"You need a break. How about you bring your brother's body back to camp and sit vigil for him? Then you can get some sleep." Mothstar consented, pulling Emberclaw's body back to camp. Most of the cats had returned. Mothstar totaled up the dead in her mind as she settled beside her kin's body: Moonfoot, Emberclaw, Sparrowsplash, Birchfoot, Cloudfoot, Stonepelt, and Yewpaw. The ginger apprentice had been named for his dark ginger coat that resembled yew berries—or deathberries, their more common name. Mothstar was guiltily glad that he was dead; he was Frogstar's son, and Mothstar did not want him to be like that tyrant. For some reason, four of the StreamClan apprentices—Ripplepaw; Hawkpaw, who had been Yewpaw's best friend; and Yewpaw's littermates, Riverpaw and Shellpaw—seemed to feel the same as Mothstar did about Yewpaw's death. Mothstar reminded herself to ask them why, then began her vigil for her brother.

After her vigil she stumbled tiredly to her den. An apprentice had left a fat rabbit for her, and she tore into it with famished gulps. She had barely finished the last bite before she collapsed onto the moss and fell asleep.


	22. Chapter Twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY

In the morning Mothstar awoke feeling refreshed after the battle. Her wounds stung like fury, and she hurried to the medicine den.

As Mistlight rubbed ointment into the cuts, Mothstar felt that her daughter's mind was not on the job. When Mistlight almost put watermint on a bite instead of marigold or horsetail, Mothstar knew something was up.

"What's wrong, Mistlight?" Mothstar asked.

"Nothing," Mistlight grunted. "Petalpaw, where's that marigold?"

"Right here." Petalpaw appeared with gold petals in her mouth. "Do you have anything for me to do, or can I go herb gathering now?" Mothstar thought she sounded a little too eager to go.

"Okay, but just bring me some more marigold before you go." Petalpaw dropped the petals at her temporary mentor's paws and dashed out of the medicine den. Mistlight heaved a sigh of relief and looked at her mother. "There, that should do it. Actually, something is wrong." Mistlight looked around quickly, then lowered her voice. "I've had a dream from StarClan."

"Do you want to tell me?" In answer, the blue cat led Mothstar to a clump of ferns. Mistlight settled down, and Mothstar sat beside her.

"In my dream I was in a windy clearing. It was dark, and I couldn't see anything at all. I think I was beside the Moonriver. A moth was fighting with a frog. The moth fell into the Moonriver. Then I heard a voice. It said, 'The moth in the meadow needs a dark breeze to defeat the frog'. I remember you told me that you were the moth in the meadow, and that Frogstar was the frog. But I can't figure out what StarClan meant by 'a dark breeze'."

"Whatever it is, I can't beat Frogstar without it," Mothstar mewed. "If you think of anything, will you tell me?"

"Of course!"

"Thank you for telling me about your dream, Mistlight." Mothstar rasped her tongue over her daughter's ear, then left the medicine den. Mothstar decided to go hunting to have some time to think.

As soon as she left the camp she smelled rabbit. Mothstar soon found it nibbling on some of the remaining clover from greenleaf. She quietly fell into the hunter's crouch. She stalked it silently, then pounced, killing it instantly. Then she heard something. Mothstar sat up with the rabbit dangling from her jaws. Then it came. In a flurry of leaves, a hawk burst through the trees. It fastened its talons into Mothstar's rabbit and took off.

Mothstar found herself high in the air. She was hanging from her teeth over the trees. If she let go, she would go plummeting down and the falcon would keep her rabbit. Mothstar unsheathed her claws and began climbing up her rabbit. This unbalanced the hawk, and it veered from side to side. Mothstar gritted her teeth and kept climbing. Then she was on its back.

The hawk was almost to the Moonriver and the Gathering hollow. If she was going to do something, she had better do it now. Mothstar lunged forward and sank her teeth into its neck. The hawk let out a shriek and began losing altitude. Mothstar noticed with alarm that she was falling away from the hawk. It was headed towards LightningClan territory, and Mothstar would hit ground in DarkClan territory. She closed her eyes and prepared to meet StarClan.

When she regained consciousness her head pounded so much that she didn't even recognize the scent that surrounded her. Then she realized what that smell was. DarkClan! Mothstar's eyes snapped opedn. The blinding light set her head aching even more fiercely, and she closed her eyes immediately. As her head cleared she became aware of another smell. Mothstar's nose twitched. She felt that she should know what that smell was, but she didn't remember. Then she heard a voice.

"Cloudpelt, Heatherkit poked her eye on a thorn!" At the same time a kit was wailing, "I can't see! I can't see!"

"Hold still, Heatherkit." There was a pause. Then the kit mewled, "That feels better." Mothstar heard pawsteps that padded away, then returned.

"This celadine will help your eye." Celadine! That was an herb! Sudden realization struck her. She was in the DarkClan medicine den! She shouldn't be here at all! She should be with her Clan! Mothstar opened her eyes to an empty den with a small pool and a pile of moss by a tunnel of ferns. The ferns were still waving from the kit and queen's exit. Mothstar knew she could get out of the medicine den and make a run for it. StarClan willing, she would be able to escape.

Mothstar staggered to her paws, ignoring her muscles' protests, and stepped out of the nest. "Ow!" Stabs of pain ran up one of her back legs. Mothstar sat back down into the nest and examined herself. She had a few cuts that had a bit of horsetail on each. Her other aching spots were probably bruises. But that leg…it was not just a bruise. It was bound with long stems of grass and rushes, and it was bent at an awkward angle. Mothstar had never learned what rushes were for. She pondered this. After a bit her head swam and darkness threatened to cover her vision. She flopped into a more comfortable position in the moss and fell asleep.

There was nothing. It was as if she was blind. Mothstar knew she was dreaming, but what in StarClan's name was going on?

"This was not meant to happen." The voice echoed, as if the cat was speaking from a hollow.

"What shall we do about it? We can't ignore this." A pause. "She doesn't know what the dark breeze is yet. You know that."

"That is true. It was just bad luck that the hawk came along."

"I doubt it. Other forces are at work here. But you still haven't answered my question."

The other cat said something, but Mothstar didn't hear it. Other forces? Then a dazzling light burst in her head. There was something among the brightness...

Mothstar saw the moor. She recognized the hills and the BreezeClan camp surrounded by gorse. But wait…what were pine trees doing on the moor? They only grew in DarkClan territory. The phrase a dark breeze popped into her head. Maybe…

She opened her eyes. She was still in the DarkClan medicine den. She let her gaze wander. There was a spot where a medicine cat and apprentice would sleep near a stone with a large crack down the middle. As she watched, a strikingly white tom padded out with leaves in his mouth. Mothstar recognized him as Cloudpelt, the StreamClan medicine cat who was helping Leafheart. Cloudpelt dropped the leaves, dug a shallow hole, and buried the herb. Only then did he notice Mothstar watching him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, padding over to sniff Mothstar's leg.

"Better," she replied. "What happened? How did I get here?"

"A patrol found you knocked out near the Gathering hollow on our—er, the DarkClan side of the border. We would have taken you back and sent you home when you awoke, but we couldn't send you home right then—not with that leg."

Mothstar's stomach flipped. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's broken pretty badly in several places. You'll recover, but I think it is permanently damaged. You won't be able to fight well, and you will probably limp for the rest of your life." Cloudpelt kept talking, but Mothstar wasn't listening. It had all gone wrong! She wouldn't be able to defeat Frogstar now, and he would take over the forest. Her spirits fell. She let out a long, defeated sigh, interrupting Cloudpelt.

"It's not that bad," he mewed, trying to console her. "You will still be able to lead your Clan."

"You don't know half of it!" Mothstar cried. She buried her face in her paws. Sobs wracked her body, and Cloudpelt laid his tail on her shoulder and sat by her until she calmed down enough to talk.

**Author's note: I know that cats can't cry and that they do not have the ability to shed tears when they are sad, but I never mentioned tears, did I? Okay, back to the story.**

"What's wrong?" Cloudpelt meowed gently. Mothstar hesitated. She didn't know how well she could trust Cloudpelt. "Whatever you tell me won't leave this den, I promise."

The words poured out of her mouth before she could stop them. She told Cloudpelt everything—from her first dream as an apprentice to her most recent one. When she stopped at last, Cloudpelt was deep in thought.

"I need some time to think about this, and you look tired. Would you like some fresh-kill before you sleep?" Mothstar nodded vigorously, and Cloudpelt fetched a mouse for her. Mothstar gulped it down and fell into a deep slumber.

Mothstar awoke to a loud noise. Cloudpelt was nowhere to be seen. Mothstar heard the noise again from behind her, and turned around to see a white mound of fur in one of the nests. The sound came from it, and Mothstar limped heavily over and prodded Cloudpelt.

"Huh? What?" Cloudpelt stumbled sleepily to his paws. "What is it? Why are you up?"

"Your snoring woke me up!"

"Sorry."

"Did you have your fill of thinking?" Mothstar asked.

"I have figured out most of it." He gestured with his tail to the nest next to him, and Mothstar settled down. "So, let me get this straight. Frogstar is a threat, and you are prophesized to get rid of the threat. Is that right?" Mothstar nodded. "But you can't get rid of that threat without a dark breeze. Think of the four Clans in the forest: LightningClan, StreamClan, BreezeClan, and DarkClan. BreezeClan lives on the moor, and DarkClan has the pine forest. Now, you had a vision of the moorland with pines on it, correct?" Mothstar nodded slowly, seeing where this conversation was going.

"I need the help of DarkClan and BreezeClan to defeat FrogClan, right?"

"That's what I think. Also, you mentioned a conversation before the vision."

"Yes. They said, 'This wasn't meant to happen'. I think that they meant the fact that I broke my leg."

"Yes, I think so too. That has been bothering me, especially about 'other forces'. Even I have no idea what they are."

Mothstar suddenly remembered something. "Cloudpelt. Something…different happened at my leadership ceremony. Dogstar came from…from the Dark Forest."

"The Dark Forest? I have never heard of that."

"I think Dogstar is working with his son from somewhere that is not StarClan. Maybe they sent the hawk."

"I think you are right. Mothstar, you know that all medicine cats go to the Moonriver at the half-moon, right? I think you should go with them. StarClan is sure to tell you something."

"Why then? Why not now?" Cloudpelt glanced at her leg. "Oh."

"Mothstar, you should stay here one more night. I'll ask Greenstar to send someone to LightningClan with the news. I would suggest that you ask Greenstar to join you in your fight against Frogstar."

A bit later Mothstar settled comfortably in her nest. Despite this setback, there was still a chance. DarkClan had joined the fight against Frogstar, and StarClan would surely help with her dilemma.


	23. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Mothstar limped after Mistlight and Petalpaw. Above her head, the half moon shined brightly. Beyond the Gathering hollow, she could see the silhouettes of the medicine cats approaching. Soon the LightningClan cats arrived at the Moonriver. Heathercloud sat with her tail curled over her paws; behind her, a small pale brown tom was staring intently at the rippling river. Cloudpelt soon came from the pine forest, dipping his head to Mothstar.

"Where is the FrogClan medicine cat?" The apprentice behind Heathercloud was twitching his tail impatiently and tearing up grass with his claws.

"Hillpaw, be patient. Remember—Eaglestar said that a lot of StreamClan cats had left. They went to LightningClan and DarkClan. Cloudpelt is with DarkClan, so FrogClan doesn't have a medicine cat." Heathercloud flicked him over the ear with her tail. Turning to the other cats, she mewed, "This is Hillpaw. He is going to be accepted by StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice tonight. Cloudpelt, where is Leafheart?"

Cloudpelt's eyes darkened in worry. "She is extremely sick. I've never seen an illness like it before. I have tried everything, but I don't know what herb will heal her." Giving himself a shake, he asked his apprentice, "Petalpaw, are you doing well?"

Petalpaw nodded at her mentor. "Very."

"Then let us begin." Heathercloud rose to her feet and glanced at her suddenly solemn apprentice. "Don't worry. Just drink some of the water, and StarClan will send you to sleep." The BreezeClan medicine cat demonstrated, and the other medicine cats followed suit. After a moment's hesitation, Hillpaw and Mothstar lapped up the water. Mothstar suppressed a shiver as the icy water slid down her throat. She laid down on the stone, her broken leg splayed out awkwardly behind her, and closed her eyes.

Mothstar opened her eyes to darkness. Almost instantly Lionstar padded up. His eyes were full of warmth.

"You did the right thing, Mothstar."

"DarkClan is going to help against Frogstar! I understood the—"

Lionstar pressed his tail-tip to his daughter's mouth. "Hush. StarClan is going to help. Your accident was not meant to happen, and we can do something to aid you…"

He closed his eyes and muttered a few inaudible words. An awesome scene unfolded before Mothstar's eyes. Row upon row of starry cats appeared behind the former leader.

"Prepare yourself," a voice, seeming to come from all of the cats, murmured.

Mistlight awoke by the Moonriver. The other cats were still asleep. She was puzzled by the message StarClan had given her; Mossleaf had told her that her mother's problem would be taken care of. Mistlight gazed at the golden shape by the river. No changes had taken place, and the leg was still limp.

"StarClan will reveal its meaning," Mistlight whispered to herself. She continued watching Mothstar. She looked so peaceful.

Suddenly the leader gave a sharp cry of pain. Mistlight wanted to dash forward, to help, but something held her back. Mothstar let out another wail and began trembling and whimpering in her sleep. The Moonriver was rippling in one spot near where Mothstar was slumbering. It rippled more and more violently, then a form leapt nimbly out of the water and onto the bank. Mistlight's breath caught in her throat. It was a cat! A white she-cat, smelling of StreamClan, stood dripping on the rock. The name Freezestar popped into her head. This cat had been leader of StreamClan before Frogstar. Freezestar shook the water off of her fur, then settled down by the river and watched it even more intensely than Hillpaw had. Mistlight looked on in silence. For a while Freezestar just sat there, then she flashed out a paw and a fish fell flopping onto the bank. It was unlike any fish that Mistlight had ever seen; it was small, shiny, and silver, and there was a faint pattern along the fish's sides. It looked like a river with stars in it. Freezestar took the unusual fish and began eating it. No, she wasn't eating the fish. She was chewing it up, as if it was an herb! Mistlight often chewed herbs into a poultice. After a bit Freezestar spat out the chewed fish and padded over to Mothstar. To Mistlight's surprise, Freezestar smeared the goo onto Mothstar's broken leg. The fish poultice instantly disappeared, and Freezestar applied more. This cycle kept going until the last of the fish was gone. Then the former StreamClan leader took the rushes off of Mothstar's leg. Freezestar lifted her head and met Mistlight's gaze with blue eyes. Mistlight suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if she had interrupted something private.

"Do not worry," Freezestar soothed, seeming to read the blue cat's mind. The piercing blue eyes fell on Petalpaw. "Beware this one. She has broken the warrior code and fallen in love." DarkClan scent suddenly came off of Petalpaw in waves. This told Mistlight what she needed to know: the young cat had fallen in love with a DarkClan cat! That explained her eagerness to collect herbs and not coming back with much. Freezestar flicked her tail and dove back into the Moonriver without a splash. Soon her scent, along with the smell of fish, vanished from the air. Around her, the cats were awakening. Hillpaw's eyes were shining.

"That was great! I saw lots of things, like—" His mentor muffled his next words with her tail. "Sorry," the tom mumbled around the tabby fur in his mouth. "I forgot that medicine cats can't speak of what they dream! I feel like I'll never remember that!"

"You will," Petalpaw retorted. "I'm only a little older than you and—"

Groaning cut off Petalpaw's next words. Mothstar was waking up by the river. Cloudpelt rushed over. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," Mothstar grunted, "Just a bit sore. Give me a bit and I'll be fine." Then she glanced down at her leg and gasped. "My leg…it's not broken anymore! Thank StarClan, they helped!"

Yes, Mistlight thought, thank StarClan.

The next day Mothstar paid a visit to BreezeClan. She insisted on going alone, and left Acornfur in charge. Now she was at the border, waiting for a patrol to pass. She was quite unhappy with the cats that came. The cats on the patrol were the type that would jump on her for a couple of mousetails: Speckleclaw, Hawkblaze, Ratfire, Nightfang, and Starlingstorm. Only Starlingstorm was not hostile.

"What are you doing here?" Ratfire growled.

"Yeah, a leader by the border. That isn't good," Hawkblaze agreed, sinking his claws into the ground.

"I am not here to steal prey. I need to speak to Eaglestar."

"Oh, really? Maybe you hid a patrol in the trees," Speckleclaw pointed out distrustfully. Nightfang, gleeful at the thought of fighting, almost darted over the border. Ratfire sunk his teeth into her scruff and dragged the protesting she-cat back before she could cross.

"Give her a chance, will you? She just wants to speak to Eaglestar." Starlingstorm stepped forward till she was face-to-face with Ratfire, who was obviously the cat who led the patrol. "Don't be so suspicious."

Grudgingly the brown-and-red tom gave in to his brown-and-white Clanmate's demands. "All right. Starlingstorm, Speckleclaw, come with me. We will escort Mothstar to Eaglestar. Hawkblaze, Nightfang, stay here. Mark the borders and come back." It was clear that Ratfire still thought that there was a LightningClan patrol in the forest. With an irritated sigh, Mothstar followed the BreezeClan cats over the moor. Soon they came to a ring of gorse on the barren hills. It was the only spot that was not constantly buffeted by wind. Ratfire strode confidently into the camp. There were small bushes of gorse that sheltered dens. An elder emerged from an old rabbit hole, nose twitching. A black kit crept out of one of the bushes. A queen called to it.

"Shadekit, where are you going?"

"There's a strange cat here," Shadekit announced. "I'll protect you, Owlflight."

Owlflight, a brown she-cat, cautiously came out of the nursery. She gasped when she saw Mothstar. "That's Mothstar, Shadekit!" Owlflight drew her kit close to her and gazed around her with scared eyes.

"What's she doing here?" Harepelt meowed.

"She said she wants to talk to Eaglestar," Starlingstorm mewed before Ratfire could speak. The tom stifled a snort of annoyance.

"Where is Eaglestar, anyway?" Sandwhisker asked.

"He went hunting," Windwillow replied. "He left me in charge. I don't know when he will come back, but you could speak to me."

Mothstar nodded respectfully at the deputy. "Thanks, but this is for Eaglestar's ears only."

"What is for my ears only?"

Eaglestar had appeared at the gorse tunnel. He had two fat rabbits, which he dropped on the fresh-kill pile.

"If you have something to tell me, then say it."

Mothstar felt a bit uncomfortable telling her dreams to all these cats. "Can we talk privately? This would also be good information for your medicine cat." As if summoned, Heathercloud padded into camp with her jaws full of some herb—probably chervil. Eaglestar called her over, and she deposited the herbs in her den and joined Mothstar and her leader in Eaglestar's den. It was an old fox den. Mothstar followed the BreezeClan cats through the narrow tunnel that opened into a large den. Eaglestar settled into his nest and faced Mothstar.

"Okay, we're alone. Will you tell us what was so private?"

Mothstar told him the whole story. When she finished the brown-and-white leader looked skeptical.

"How can I know that you aren't lying?" he asked.

"When she went to the Moonriver yesterday she had a broken leg," Heathercloud mewed. "Now look at it!"

Eaglestar's gaze softened. "I trust you, Heathercloud. Mothstar, I believe you now. When you confront Frogstar, BreezeClan will be there with you. You can count on us."


	24. Chapter 22

_CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO_

_ Two moons passed since Frogstar's attack on LightningClan. Bright and some other rogues had joined LightningClan against FrogClan. DarkClan, BreezeClan, and LightningClan were tensely awaiting Frogstar's next move. Cats spent every moment in fear; only the kits remained oblivious. Leaf-bare was fully upon the forest. The former rogues had never weathered a forest leaf-bare before, yet they did not complain. They accepted the fact of going hungry without question. Mothstar had first ordered Acornfur to put strong LightningClan warriors on the same patrols as the former rogues, in case they tried to eat prey without bringing it back to camp. The rogues proved to be trustworthy, and they brought back every bit of prey to the camp. Some cats were unhappy about that, but Bright was good at calming them. Flash, a white rogue, would have eaten the prey then and there if Bright hadn't been his mate. She was an excellent peacekeeper. _

_ Frogstar had not attended any Gatherings. He had obviously abandoned his belief in StarClan. _

_ Mothstar was headed to a Gathering now. As she had always done since Frogstar became a threat, she left the elders and queens behind, and took only strong warriors and apprentices. She left enough to guard the camp in case Frogstar attacked. _

_ Mothstar came to the hollow with LightningClan and led the way into it. She clambered onto the leader's ledge and was startled to be staring into the dark green eyes of Grassfoot. Alarm flashed there for a second as he registered who she was. Oddly enough, Mothstar thought she saw a different emotion there too—guilt. What did he have to be guilty about? Had Greenstar died in front of him, and he had been powerless to save her? Had Frogstar killed her? Mothstar opened her mouth to ask him, but Eaglestar yowled to start the Gathering before she could say anything._

_ "BreezeClan is doing well. We have three new warriors: Beeflight, Kestrelwing, and Echoflight." A gold-and-black striped tom, a light brown tom, and a silvery she-cat were sitting proudly among the cats. "Windwillow has died." Mournful wails spread throughout the crowd. She was well-known in all four Clans. "Flamefoot is deputy." On the deputy ledge below her, the dark ginger she-cat was sitting and staring out at the Clans. As Eaglestar finished giving news, Grassfoot shifted uncomfortably from paw to paw. When Eaglestar completed his report, Grassfoot stepped forward. He opened his mouth, but a familiar yowl stopped him from meowing anything._

_ All heads turned toward the area where the cats came into the hollow. Standing there was a group of muscular rogue cats led by Frogstar himself. He began padding toward the leader's ledge. The Clan cats drew back to allow a wide path for the evil leader. He left his rogues near the leader's ledge, and they hurled insults at the Clan cats as Frogstar headed for the ledge. Frogstar made no move to stop them. He jumped onto the leader's ledge and stood on it, glaring down at the Clan cats._

_ "FrogClan has given you a chance to join us. You have put down that opportunity. You must join, or we will take your Clans by force."_

_ Gasps and angry yowls came from the crowd. Bright was on her hind legs, yowling, "Never! Never!" _

_ Eaglestar faced Frogstar confidently. Mothstar remembered that he was the eldest leader. "BreezeClan will not give in to your demands. We will remain BreezeClan, and will not join any Clan of yours!" The BreezeClan cats cheered their approval._

_ Frogstar scowled at the brown-and-white tom. "Very well." He turned to Mothstar. "You have seen the strength of FrogClan. Will you join?"_

_ "Not in nine lifetimes, Frogstar," she meowed. She dimly heard Hailstorm yowling encouragement. Her mind was buzzing with resistance and defiance. _

_ Frogstar glowered at her. He faced Grassfoot. The light brown tabby suddenly looked small and weak under Frogstar's gaze. "Will DarkClan join with FrogClan?" Frogstar looked expectantly at him; was he sure that Grassfoot would declare DarkClan's joining?_

_ Grassfoot stood bravely. "DarkClan will never stand beside you and your Clan of rogues. No matter what you can scheme." Frogstar flinched as if struck. Grassfoot leaned in close to the tom. Mothstar just heard what he whispered. "You cannot imitate your father, Frogstar. Remember that. If he tells you how to satisfy your ambition, he may just be using you." Grassfoot stepped back. "DarkClan will not join!" he repeated. _

_ Frogstar narrowed his eyes. He had gotten over his shock at Grassfoot's mysterious words. "I will give you one more chance. In a quarter moon, come back here. Give me your answer. If you agree, then we will not kill you. If not, your choice will be met with deadly force." He jumped straight off of the leader's ledge into the crowd instead of using the small ledges to get down. Mothstar's eyes widened as he landed squarely on his feet without injury. He led his warriors out of the hollow, leaving everyone staring after them in silence. Grassfoot spoke up._

_ "Does anyone else have news?" he asked. Mothstar and Eaglestar shook their heads, and Grassfoot leapt off of the ledge and left with his Clan. Eaglestar also left, leaving Mothstar alone on the ledge. Inside, she felt as empty as the ledge. Even if they managed to beat FrogClan, there would still be a high price. Cats would die at the paws of those strong rogues. Mothstar felt as if she was leading these loyal cats to their death._


	25. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The quarter moon seemed to last a season. A rogue cat sent from FrogClan reported that Frogstar was not going to send an attack on their camps. Even though Acornfur and many others were suspicious, secretly Mothstar was relieved. She didn't want to leave too many or too few warriors behind. Bright had confirmed that this rogue was not lying.

Bright and the other rogues had agreed to fight with the Clans, and Mothstar was grateful for their support. Bright was even starting to believe in StarClan. Mothstar had heard her talking to herself about making her own Clan in the forest. This made Mothstar uneasy. To make matters worse, Bright had disappeared a few sunrises before the battle, and Mothstar had to work hard to tear her mind away from that fact and focus on the preparations.

She had left a few warriors behind—enough to hunt for themselves and the queens and elders and defend against a fox or badger. As she led the rogues, warriors, and apprentices to the Gathering hollow, she prayed to StarClan that they—and the cats fighting against Frogstar—would stay safe.

BreezeClan and DarkClan were heading for the hollow too—Mothstar could see their shapes against the sunrise. A mass of cats near the hollow confirmed that FrogClan was waiting for them. When LightningClan was almost there a stir broke out among the Clan.

Bright pushed her way to the front besidae Mothstar and Acornfur. She smelled like the forest, as if she had just rolled in bracken. There was another smell underlying that, though—so faint that Mothstar thought she might be imagining it. She opened her mouth to ask, but Flash appeared beside his mate, purring.

"You're back!" he purred, rubbing his cheek against Bright's. "Where were you? How—"

Bright broke off his mewing. "It doesn't matter now," she meowed brusquely. "I didn't want to miss this." She fell back, avoiding any questions from Mothstar, Flash, or Acornfur.

By now the three Clans had reached the Gathering hollow. Mothstar almost shrank back at the sight of those battle-ready rogues sitting with unsheathed claws behind Frogstar. The world swayed for a heartbeat. Could she really do this? Then she felt a touch on her tail. Craning her neck, she saw Waterclaw staring into her eyes with love and trust. Mothstar nodded, encouraged, and turned back to Frogstar. She padded forward and met Frogstar with Eaglestar and Grassfoot.

"Well, well." Frogstar narrowed his eyes. "Have you changed your minds, any of you?"

Grassfoot stepped forward from the head of DarkClan. "DarkClan will not join. You—I know what you did. They don't. Would you like me to break the truth now—all of it?"

Frogstar's expression never wavered, though some fear was detectable in his eyes. "If you survive this battle. Eaglestar, have you decided?"

Eaglestar, the eldest of the leaders, stood firm. "BreezeClan is not with you."

Frogstar's eyes glinted as his gaze fell on Mothstar. "What about _you_?"

Mothstar felt Waterclaw's nose on her tail again, silently willing her on. She was also aware of a pelt brushing hers, though no one was there. _Say no._ His voice sounded in her head. _Be strong, Mothstar._ Another voice joined it. More and more voices, nine total. _LightningClan won't be a part of this tyranny._

"No. LightningClan will never join you."

Frogstar sat still for a bit, then yowled, "FrogClan, attack!"

Silence.

Frogstar rounded on his army of rogues, seething. "Why aren't you attacking?"

A pure black tom answered in a voice void of emotion. "We only take orders from Agony."

Frogstar sat a bit more, then turned back to the rogue army. His voice was smooth. "You only take orders from Agony?"

"That's right."

"And where is he?"

The rogues shuffled their paws uncomfortably. "We don't know," the tom mewed.

Frogstar's voice was even smoother now. "That's because he's dead."

The tom's jaw dropped. "What?"

Frogstar circled the tom. "That's right," he purred. "He wasn't that hard to kill, really. He lets his guard down much too easily."

Frogstar had struck a nerve in the rogues. He had murdered their leader in cold blood. Agony hadn't just been the leader; he had started the whole group.

"Well?" Frogstar purred. "What will you do now? Even Badger is dead. You are without leadership now. _I _will be your leader."

The tom continued to speak. "You are not fit to be our leader. I, Starless Night, Agony's _third_-in-command, assume control of this group. Do you all agree?"

The other rogues murmured agreement. "Starless Night," they whispered, "Starless."

The new leader, Starless, stepped forward until his breath stirred Frogstar's whiskers. "You killed Agony. He was my mother's father. You shall pay for this, Frogstar."

He took a deep breath and yowled that fateful word.

"_Attack!"_

Mothstar braced herself, expecting a rogue to leap on her and claw her fur out. Instead, the rogues all ran at Frogstar, hissing and caterwauling. Frogstar called for his warriors to attack, but there were not many StreamClan cats still loyal to him. The tom went down under a writhing mass of bodies.

Mothstar looked away, trying to block out the snarls of the rogues and, worst of all, Frogstar's blood-curdling shrieks.

Finally, the rogues backed away, forming a circle around what was left of the despotic leader. Signalling for the rogues to bury Frogstar's remains, Starless came forward to the other three leaders.

"I'm sorry about the trouble," he mewed. "Agony was one to grab power by the head when it came by."

"And ones who grab power by the head often get bitten." Eaglestar completed the old saying. "Just take your warriors and leave. I don't mean that in an unkind way; we simply don't have enough room in the forest for another Clan."

Starless dipped his head. "Very well. If you don't mind, I'd like to take the others back with me."

Bright came up. "I would like to stay with the Clans."

Flash came forward. "What?"

Bright nuzzled him. "It's just...I'm more comfortable here. And I need a good place to raise our kits."

_Our kits! _That explained why Bright had gone missing. She had been giving birth!

"I left them with a LightningClan queen," she continued. "You can go or stay, Flash."

Flash's eyes brimmed with sorrow. "I...I want to go back to the streets."

"Goodbye, Flash." Flash and Bright twined tails and touched noses, then Flash went to be with the rest of the rogues. The other rogues who had stayed with LightningClan went back over also.

"Farewell, Clan cats," Starless mewed. He turned around and led his rogues away without looking back.

The Clans stared after him. Cloudpelt broke the silence.

"I would like to become DarkClan's medicine cat. I feel more at home in the pines, and you're without a medicine cat now."

Grassfoot dipped his head. "Very well. And I would like to step down as leader of DarkClan. I don't feel like I am the right cat for it. Ravenwing, I'd like you to be the next leader of DarkClan."

A smoky black she-cat came forward, her one blue eye glinting, and her one green eye looking worried. "I accept, Grassfoot. I would like to make Duskmoon my deputy."

A dusky brown she-cat came up behind Ravenwing, her yellow eyes flashing in surprise.

Cloudpelt spoke again. "StreamClan is in tatters. I, the former medicine cat of StreamClan, appoint Puddlepelt as StreamClan leader."

A black tom came forward. "I accept. Goldtail, I appoint you deputy."

A gold tom with yellow eyes came forward. "Who shall be medicine cat, Cloudpelt?"

Cloudpelt took a deep breath. "Bloomwing, if StarClan approves of my choice, I would like you to be the medicine cat of StreamClan."

Bloomwing, a tortoiseshell she-cat with creamy pink spots, dipped her head.

"May StarClan light our paths," Eaglestar mewed. "All of our paths."

**Dun dun dun! That took a long time to finish. It's done! Keep watch for "The Secrets of The Moth in the Meadow". Mossleaf, Iceberry, and a lot of other cats explain all the secrets that were never revealed.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**Bye! !**

**~Mothstar**


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